Qualitative Dissertation Topic and Planning – EDDR 917

Course Description

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

The doctoral dissertation is the final academic requirement for the Ed.D. This course is designed to equip students with a deeper understanding of research design and data analysis as well as the skills and knowledge necessary for writing and publishing a doctoral dissertation.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (4)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. Each thread must be 400–500 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the candidate is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 150–250 words. (CLO: B, C)

Research Plan Assignments (5)

Setting and Participants Assignment
Using the Qualitative Dissertation Template as a guide, the candidate will submit a well-developed draft of the Setting and Participants sections of their research plan (CLO: C, D).

Data Collection Assignment      
Using the Qualitative Dissertation Template as a guide, the candidate will submit a well-developed draft of the Data Collection sections of their research plan. The candidate will describe in detail how data will be collected for each data collection approach for their study. The candidate should not provide a subsection for how the data will be analyzed, as that will be done in a separate assignment. (CLO: C, D)

Analysis Sections Assignment     
Using the Qualitative Dissertation Template as a guide, the candidate will submit a well-developed draft of the Data Analysis sections of their research plan. The candidate will draft a data analysis section for each data collection approach used for their study. Then, the candidate will discuss how they will synthesize all analyzed data into a cogent body of data to lead to theme development. (CLO: C, D)

Dissertation Trustworthiness Assignment  
Using the Qualitative Dissertation Template as a guide, the candidate will submit a well-developed draft of the Trustworthiness sections of their research plan. The candidate will document the quality assurance of the study using rote language that is appropriate for most qualitative studies. The candidate will only discuss the aspects of each of the five subsections in the trustworthiness section that the candidate uses during the study. (CLO: C, D)

Chapter 3 Assignment
The candidate will submit a well-developed draft of the third chapter of their research plan utilizing the previously composed sections, as well as the remaining sections of Chapter 3. The candidate will create every section based on the template and demonstrate mastery of the primary research design. (CLO: D)

The candidate must write a 3-4 page (excluding title, abstract, and reference pages) summary of the primary text selected corresponding with their research design. The candidate must include a reference page of scholarly references in addition to the selected text. A minimum of 3 sources must be cited, but the purpose of the paper is to demonstrate mastery of the material within the primary text and additional references will only be used minimally in support of the primary text. (CLO: C)

The candidate will review the data collection subsections of two fictional peers' submissions as if trying to replicate the study and offer suggestions to improve the clarity and specificity of the stated data collection procedures. The candidate will follow the instructions offered in the Qualitative Dissertation Template. (CLO: C, D)

IRB Training Modules Assignment

The candidate will complete training modules via the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program. Upon completion of all modules, the candidate will receive a certification to upload to Canvas. (CLO: E)

Quiz: SOE Doctoral Community

The quiz will cover the SOE Doctoral Community course information located in the SOE Doctoral Community Canvas course. This quiz has 10 true/false questions and a 1-hour time limit. (CLO: A)

Quiz: Plagiarism Awareness

The quiz will cover the LU Academic Honesty Policy and the current APA Manual’s plagiarism policy. The quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 4 questions, and have a 1-hour time limit. (CLO: A)