course syllabusdissertation.argosy.edu/chicago/summer08/b7001_su08... · web viewarticle 4,...

Argosy UniversityCOURSE SYLLABUS

B7001 Business Research WritingE7111/R7000 Introduction to Advanced Academic Study & Writing

Faculty InformationFaculty Name: Dr. O. Johnson – Summer 2008 (Full Term)Campus: Chicago/LoopContact Information: [email protected] Number: 708-957-9606Office Hours: By Appointment

Short Faculty Bio:

I began my teaching in undergraduate studies at community colleges instructing students in Computer Information Systems, for the past 7 years. Over the past 2 years, my teaching experience has expanded into higher education institutions in both the private and online learning environments in Education, Healthcare Management, and Business Administration.I have been an elementary teacher on all subject matters in K-8th grade levels for the past four years. Additionally, I have been a business owner; as well as a manager and supervisor in the corporate industry.

I earned a Doctorate of Education, with a concentration in Educational Leadership from Argosy University; I completed my dissertation on the Transition of Higher Education Faculty from Traditional Classroom to Online Learning Instruction. I attained my undergraduate degree from Chicago State University and graduate degree from University of Chicago and Governors State University. I am a Certified Online Instruction, as well as hold a Type 75 Certification

My beliefs in a quality of education are structured around how well faculty members are prepared to teach, whether in a traditional classroom or in an online learning environment. As educational methods continue to evolve, particularly through the use of technology, the focus must also be on individual student learning styles. As an educator and faculty member of Argosy University, I am committed to providing students with quality learning experiences with positive educational outcomes.

mailto:[email protected]

Course description: This course demystifies the doctoral level research process and provides a solid foundation for academic writing by analyzing and evaluating current research articles, literature reviews, and dissertations. Emphasis will be placed on APA style guidelines, preparation for the doctoral comprehensive examination, and university publication requirements. It also includes a self-inventory based on state and national standards and develops a self-improvement plan that is the basis for activities during internship.

Course Pre-requisites: None

Required Textbook: Title: Publication Manual of the American Psychological AssociationAuthor: American Psychological AssociationEdition / Copyright: 5TH 01Publisher: 5TH 01ISBN: 1557987912

Title: Dissertations And Theses from Start to Finish: Psychology And Related FieldsAuthor: John D. Cone & Sharon L. Foster Edition / Copyright: 2nd, 06Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)ISBN: 1591473624

Title: A Cross Section of Educational Research: Journal Articles for Discussion and Evaluation Author: by Lawrence S. Lyne (Editor) Edition / Copyright: 3rd, 06Publisher: Pyrczak PubISBN: 1884585655

Technology: Pentium III CPU/ Windows 98; 128MB RAM printer; Microsoft Office: Acrobat (full version); Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 (PC), 5.0 (MAC), or Netscape Navigator 4.08; Norton Antivirus.

Course length: 7.5 Weeks

Contact Hours: 45 Hours

Credit Value: 3.0

Program Outcomes: Become adept at using APA style formatting. Critically evaluate prior research that supports or confirms the proposed study. Evaluate current literature and compile reference list. Critically discuss expected results in the context of knowledge of relevant theory, policy and practice. Consider possible conclusions that take into account limitations of their research. Develop a perspective for a dissertation. Complete a self-inventory based on state and national standards. Develop a self-improvement plan that is the basis for activities during field experience.

Course Objectives:Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to understand the:

Field and Internship Experience The Comprehensive Examination The Dissertation Guide

Article and Electronic Dissertations Online Search APA Formatting, Review Prospectus v. Dissertation Dissertation sections Evaluating prior studies Problem/Purpose/Background and need for the study Theoretical Foundation of the Study Research questions and hypotheses Limitations and Delimitations Definitions Significance of the Study to the Field of Education Methodology Literature Review Turning the Prospectus into a Proposal The Defense Process Revising the Proposal into a Dissertation Results, Discussion, and Recommendation Sections Review of Human Subject(s) Final Prospectus Presentations, Critique, and Feedback

Assignment Table

Module Topics Readings Assignments1/2 Comprehensive

Examination and the University Dissertation Guide

Module 1 Reading

Complete the following reading early in the Module:

Read the online lectures for Module One.

From the textbook: 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, read:

o Chapter 1: What are theses and dissertations and why write a book about them?

From the textbook: Lyne, L. S. (2006). A cross section of educational research journal articles for discussion and evaluation (3rd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak, read:

o Article 4, Bullying and Victimization: Prevalence and Relationship to Gender, Grade Level, Ethnicity, Self Esteem and Depression

Discussion Questions

1. A classmate asks you to critique the first draft of a literature review she has written for a class assignment. While reading the draft, you realize that she has, for the most part, simply summarized one study after another—each summarized in its own paragraph. Based on the information in this lecture and the readings you completed, what advice would you give her? Justify your answer.

2. Do you have any specific future goals and/or activities that might influence your selection of a topic? If so, describe them.

3. Suppose the topic you are considering is "career counseling." At the time of writing this, 2,038 journal articles were retrieved via a basic ERIC keyword search. Name a demographic variable that could be used to delimit the topic and, hence, retrieve a more manageable number of references.

o Article 7, Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders and Teacher-Reported School Functioning of Normal Children

o Article 29, The "Stay Alive From Education" (SAFE) Program: Description and Preliminary Pilot Testing

Assignment: Research Connections Assignment

Complete the Research Connections assignment under the topic “Article and Electronic Dissertations Online Search”. Develop your online research skills and compare various search engines. Try searching for information on dissertations written in the field of distance learning, 1990-onwards. You need to evaluate the search engines on various criteria like accuracy of displayed results, the number of relevant results, ranking of results, topicality of results, and usefulness of the advanced search parameters. Bring to class for discussion.

3/4 APA Publication Manual

Paraphrasing, Summarizing, and Analyzing

Citations, Footnotes, and References

Prospectus vs. Dissertation

Module 2 Reading


Read the online lectures for Module 2.



1. You are writing a paper and are faced with an ethical dilemma about citing a source for an idea (such as not being able to recall the source but wanting to use the idea anyway)? How will you resolve this situation? Justify your response.

2. Identify at least five facts, concepts, or ideas you believe are "common knowledge" whose sources do not need to be cited. Provide reasons for your selections. Discuss them with your classmates to see if they agree with you.

o Chapter 2: Starting out : assessing your preparation for the task ahead

o Chapter 5: Formulating and communicating your plans: an overview of the proposal

From the textbook: Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). (2001). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, read:

o Quality of Content, Characteristics of Articles, and Parts of a Manuscript in Chapter 1: Content and Organization of a Manuscript

o Chapter 5: Manuscript Preparation and Sample Papers to be Submitted for Publication

3. The authors of a certain literature review wrote the statement: "Providing for defense and security is a singular and defining purpose of national government." The context in which this sentence appears makes it clear hat the authors are referring to the national government of the United States. However, the authors do not cite a reference for the sentence. Do you believe they should have cited a reference, or do you think the sentence makes a statement that is common knowledge? Justify your response.

4. This week, you learned that a literature review synthesizes the literature on a topic. In your own words, how would you define a "synthesis"? What features, in your opinion, constitute a good synthesis?

By mid-week, consider a topic on which you might write a literature review. At this point, can you think of any criteria that you might use for the inclusion (and/or exclusion) of literature? Explain. Write a 2 page paper and post to the Dropbox.

5/6 Evaluating Prior

Module 3 Reading Discussion Questions

Studies

Problems

Purpose

Background and Need for the Study




o Chapter 4: Finding topics and faculty collaborators

From the textbook: Lyne, L. S. (2006). A cross section of educational research journal articles for discussion and evaluation (3rd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak, read:

o Article 34, Teachers Beliefs About Instructional Choice: A Phenomenological Study

o Article 6, A Comparison of How Textbooks Teach Mathematical Problem Solving in Japan and the United States

o Article 10, The Effects of Computer-Assisted Instruction on First-Grade Students' Vocabulary Development

1. One of your colleagues, states that the study on psychoanalysis "proves" hypnosis works in cases of Multiple Personality Disorder. After this module's lecture on evaluating studies, are you still inclined to take this statement at face value or would you be cautious about believing such a statement? Support your response with examples.

2. Debate: If a difference is statistically significant, is it necessarily large? If not, what does the fact that a difference is statistically significant tell you?

3. In your opinion, should writers of literature reviews state their own conclusions drawn from literature, or should they describe the literature in a cohesive essay but "let the facts speak for themselves" instead of stating their own conclusions? Discuss the pros and cons of both views. Support your response with appropriate scenarios.

7/8 Relevant Theory, Policy, and Practice.

Module 4 Reading




o Chapter 6: Reviewing the literature


o Parts of a Manuscript (read half only) in Chapter 1: Content and Organization of a Manuscript

o Reference Citations in Text from Chapter 3: APA Editorial Style


1. Is it necessary to choose between a dichotomy of "highly qualitative approach" versus "highly quantitative approach" when writing a literature review? Debate.

2. What, in your opinion, is one of the most common flaws in writing literature reviews? Debate.

9/10 Module 5 Reading

Literature Review

MethodologyComplete the following reading early in the Module:

Read the online lecture for Module 5.


o Chapter 7: Research methodology and ethics

o Chapter 8: Measurement o Chapter 9: Selecting the

appropriate statistics


o Parts of a Manuscript (Complete reading) in Chapter 1: Content


1. For which of the following should you include the date that you consulted the reference?

o Material posted on the Web.o Material published in a journal.o Material published in a book.

Justify your response.

2. You are reading the literature review of a research report, when you come across the following material.

"The beneficial effects of social rapport have been conclusively established over decades of scientific research. The availability of social support significantly enhances people's general well being and happiness as well as their ability to withstand a variety of major stressors such as serious illness (Coyne & Smith, 1994). On the other hand, people who lack social support appear to be at risk for developing a range of physical and mental health problems. For instance, those who do not have satisfying."

In your opinion, does the first sentence provide a strong beginning for the review? Does the second sentence emphasize authorship or

and Organization of a Manuscript

o Chapter 4: Reference List content?

3. The Methodology section needs to include details about the location, participants, the selection process, the instruments or apparatus used to collect new data, the procedures followed, and the data analysis tools used. Do you feel that all of this information is necessary—is some redundant? Is there any other information you think should be included? Illustrate your responses with examples

11/12 The Dissertation Review of Reference Lists

Module 6 Reading


Read the online lecture for Module 6.


o Chapter 9: Selecting the

Discussion Question

1. In the following reference, what element is missing in italics?

Doe, J. Y. (2004). An experimental study of the feasibility of modifying the school lunch program. New Journal of Educational Studies and Research, 63, 555-578.

Study the APA 5th edition style guide. How would you rewrite the same reference if it were an article published in a journal?2. The following reference to a journal article

contains information that is not needed to identify the article. What information is not

appropriate statistics needed?

Smith, J.Y. (2004). A new experiment on the feasibility of further modifying the school lunch program. Extensive Lunch Programs Journal, 33, Issue 52, 67-74.

Explain. Support your response with a citation to the APA 5th edition style guide.

Assignment: Application

Submit to the M6 Assignment 2 Dropbox.

Towards the end of the week, select a dissertation from Electronic Dissertations and submit a one-page summary and critique of this dissertation. The summary is written like an abstract, which according to APA is less than 150 words, and should include the need for the study, the purpose of the study, the theoretical framework, the method and participants, results, and recommendations for future research. The critique should include a discussion of any issues you believe may have an impact on the validity or reliability of the results of this study, any recommendations for future research that you believe should be added, and any other reactions you have to this study.

13 Understanding the Module 7 Reading Discussion Questions

Analysis/FindingsComplete the following reading early in the Module:



o Chapter 11: Presenting the results

o Chapter 12: Discussing the results

1. Your colleague, Martin, is reading a research report, which begins with the researchers stating that "many young adolescents continue to attend school even though they have mentally dropped out." In your opinion, is this an important point to make in the introduction to this particular study? If so, would you find it useful to have more information on this issue?

2. Study Article 17, #9 in the Lawrence textbook. In your opinion, has the program been described in sufficient detail? Explain. Also, the researchers state that the participants were "economically disadvantaged." Is this important to know? Justify your response.

3. You are reading a report that states that the control group consisted of "similar individuals." Debate: Would it be helpful to know how the researchers determined their similarity?

Assignment: Application

Submit to the M7 Assignment 2 Dropbox.

1. Assume you are conducting a study on the topic mentioned in Article 17 of the Lawrence textbook. Describe the research methodology you would follow. Compare this with the research methodology that is

described in the text. Outline your findings. Submit a one-page paper as a Word document using 12 pt font and double-spacing.

14/15 RECAP

Assignment 2: Final Project Submission

Your final Project should be submitted in Microsoft Word 2000 or higher and should include all the relevant sections (see Grading Criteria). You should use APA 5th edition style, with double-spaced text in 12pt font. You also need to include a PowerPoint presentation that is concise and effectively communicates the information in the dissertation prospectus.

Details of Final Project are available In Module 8 – Course Project

Grading Criteria

Grading Scale Grading requirements

Attendance/Discussion/Participation 30%Weekly Assignments 30%Final paper 20%Presentation 20%

100%

A 100 – 93A- 92 – 90B+ 89 – 88B 87 – 83B- 82 – 80C+ 79 – 78C 77 - 73C- 72 – 70D+ 69 – 68D 67 – 63D- 62 – 60F 59 and below

LibraryAll resources in Argosy University’s online collection are available through the Internet. The campus librarian will provide students with links, user IDs, and passwords.

Library Resources: Argosy University’s core online collection features nearly 21,000 full-text journals and 23,000 electronic books and other content covering all academic subject areas including Business & Economics, Career & General Education, Computers, Engineering & Applied Science, Humanities, Science, Medicine & Allied Health, and Social & Behavior Sciences. Many titles are directly accessible through the Online Public Access Catalog at http://library.argosyu.edu. Detailed descriptions of online resources are located at http://library.argosyu.edu/misc/onlinedblist.html.

In addition to online resources, Argosy University’s onsite collections contain a wealth of subject-specific research materials searchable in the Online Public Access Catalog. Catalog searching is easily limited to individual campus collections. Alternatively, students can search combined collections of all Argosy University Libraries. Students are encouraged to seek research and reference assistance from campus librarians.

Information Literacy: Argosy University’s Information Literacy Tutorial was developed to teach students fundamental and transferable research skills. The tutorial consists of five modules where students learn to select sources appropriate for academic-level research, search periodical indexes and search engines, and evaluate and cite information. In the tutorial, students study concepts and practice them through interactions. At the conclusion of each module, they can test their comprehension and receive immediate feedback. Each module takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Please view the tutorial at http://library.argosyu.edu/infolit/

Academic Policies

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism: In an effort to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity during the learning process, Argosy University requires that the submission of all course assignments represent the original work produced by that student. All sources must be documented through normal scholarly references/citations and all work must be submitted using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition (2001). Washington DC: American Psychological Association (APA) format. Please refer to Appendix A in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition for thesis and paper format. Students are encouraged to purchase this manual (required in some courses) and become familiar with its content as well as consult the Argosy University catalog for further information regarding academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

http://library.argosyu.edu/infolit/

http://library.argosyu.edu/misc/onlinedblist.html

http://library.argosyu.edu/

Scholarly writing: The faculty at Argosy University is dedicated to providing a learning environment that supports scholarly and ethical writing, free from academic dishonesty and plagiarism. This includes the proper and appropriate referencing of all sources. You may be asked to submit your course assignments through “Turnitin,” (www.turnitin.com), an online resource established to help educators develop writing/research skills and detect potential cases of academic dishonesty. Turnitin compares submitted papers to billions of pages of content and provides a comparison report to your instructor. This comparison detects papers that share common information and duplicative language.

Americans with Disabilities Act Policy

It is the policy of Argosy University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If a student with disabilities needs accommodations, the student must notify the Director of Student Services. Procedures for documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will be provided to the student upon request.

Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. To receive accommodation in class, it is the student’s responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion) to the instructor. In an effort to protect student privacy, the Department of Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with instructors. Faculty may not make accommodations for individuals who have not been approved in this manner.

The Argosy University Statement Regarding Diversity

Argosy University prepares students to serve populations with diverse social, ethnic, economic, and educational experiences. Both the academic and training curricula are designed to provide an environment in which students can develop the skills and attitudes essential to working with people from a wide range of backgrounds.

http://www.turnitin.com/

Acknowledgement of Syllabus Content

I have read and understand the course syllabus for _______________________ at Argosy University/Chicago Northwest, which is being taught by _____________________. I hereby agree to the terms stated in this syllabus.

Signature Date

Student Information Sheet

Name: _______________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________________________________________________ Email: ___________________________________________________________

CurrentPosition: ___________________________________________________________ Where: ___________________________________________________________ Purpose forTaking Course: ___________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ CareerGoal: ____________________________________________________________ Special Requests: ____________________________________________________________

E7111Introduction to Advanced Academic Study & Writing

Assignment 1: Course Project

Research Topics and Purpose

Describe in no more than two paragraphs the general topic you have chosen. State in one sentence what is a problem you have identified within the general topic that needs to be studied, and briefly add why the study of this topic is important or of service to the field of education.

Note: many times the "problem" at this stage is formed as a question:

"What happens when third grade students are provided with a certain curriculum?"

"What causes some college students to succeed in online classes when others do not?"

Include APA in-text citations for any references to prior studies.

As you read other students' topics ask yourself: Are they trying to solve a personal issue? Are they trying to 'save the world?' Is the focus narrow enough? Is the explanation clear?

Respond to at least two classmates to ask for clarification of their topics or to provide suggestions to narrow or broaden their topics.

Assignment 2: Project: Finding a Theory and Educational Significance

Part I: Finding a Theory

Theory can provide a real focus that will go a long way toward helping you build a solid and coherent dissertation study. The use of theory will increase the probability that your study will make a contribution to your field and profession. All aspects of the study are affected by its theoretical framework. The theoretical framework in relation to the specific research problem to be investigated can be pictured as a set of interlocking frames. The outermost frame-the theoretical framework-is the disciplinary orientation that you draw upon to situate your study.

Using the guidelines above, in no more than 2 paragraphs, describe the theoretical framework that will underlie your proposed study. In the first paragraph concisely describe the disciplinary orientation and in the second paragraph, succinctly describe the underlying concept, model or theory.

Include APA in-text citations for any references to prior studies.

Include a properly formatted reference list below your two paragraphs for any references cited in your two summary paragraphs.

(Note: you may not be able to format the hanging indent, but you will be able to punctuate and capitalize correctly.)

Respond to at least two classmates for ask for clarification of the theory(s) or to provide suggestions for other relevant studies or theories from your readings or academic experiences that they may want to consider.

Assignment 3: Project: Finding a Theory and Educational Significance

Part II: Educational Significance

The Significance section answers the question: "Why should anyone care about the results of my study? In the Proposal, this section is usually very brief and outlines expected significance. After you complete the data analysis in your Dissertation, the significance may prove to be something other than you expected in the proposal.

Draft the statement of the expected impact or significance of your study will have on the field of education or the potential significance of what you hope to add to the scholarly literature. [Note: you should use conditional verb forms-"The results may lead to a better understanding of the adolescent learner." The evaluation of teacher attitudes could help curriculum developers design curriculum that is more closely aligned with national standards."]

Assignment 4: Project

Purpose, Background, and Need for the Study

Task: Purpose

The purpose statement is a declarative sentence such as, The study will analyze (or study, or explore).

State the Purpose of the Study in one sentence.

Assignment 5: Project

Task: Formatting

In the Dissertation Proposal, all margins are 1”, all type is 12-point serif (e.g., Times Roman), and all pages are numbered except the title page. It is strongly suggested that you use Microsoft Word’s Styles feature for the chapter headings, which will make it very easy to create and insert the Table of Contents right before you print the final proposal. If you do not know how to use styles and insert TOC features, now is the time use the Help feature in the software (or a user’s manual) to learn about this very useful tool.

Task: Problem Statement

Problems abound in education and the social sciences. Add the problem statement to the Background and Need for the Study sections completed last week.

Assignment 6: Project - Research Questions

Research Question(s)

The research question is your guide to what data you seek and what data you select as important. The research question is "(1) precise, (2) covers exactly the issue you wish to address, and (3) indicates how you will create your answer".

Draft the research questions and add to the Purpose section written in the last module (if you are doing a pure quantitative research, you will need null hypothesis statements) and submit both.

[NOTE: These sections will be revised and included in Chapter 1 of the Research Proposal. These question(s) will be elaborated on in a separate section of Chapter 3-Methodology.]

Assignment 7: Project - Access Plan

Submit a three-page draft of your plan for how you will gain access to the location and planned population (school, institution of higher education, professional organization) who will be invited to participate in your study. You should include how you plan to obtain any permission you will need, e.g., the principle, the district superintendent, parents, etc.

[NOTE: A quick summary of access will be included in Chapter 1 of the Research Proposal. Exact details of the plan to gain access will be included in the Chapter 3-Methodology of the Proposal. Later, the exact steps of what you actually did to gain access will become part of Chapter 3-Methodology of the Dissertation. And, the signed permission letters will be included in the Appendixes of the Dissertation.]

Final Project Submission

Your final Project should be submitted in Microsoft Word 2000 or higher and should include all the relevant sections (see Grading Criteria). You should use APA 5th edition style, with double-spaced text in 12pt font. You also need to include a PowerPoint presentation that is concise and effectively communicates the information in the dissertation prospectus.

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