Walden University PhD in Human Services Prospectus Paper
Court proceedings follow a specific set of steps. Health care professionals also follow specific approaches based on the needs of patients or based on the ailment. As a human services professional practitioner, you likely follow a systematic approach when working with service users. Research is similar. The “Nature of the Study” section of your prospectus form is where you describe the systematic approach you will take to answer your research question. The method and design of your study should be as carefully considered as the steps in a court proceeding or the approaches you take when working with service users.
To determine which methodology and design to choose for your study, you can look to the article you cited in the “Problem Statement” section in the prospectus form. Review the gap in the literature statement from the current, peer-reviewed article you included in the “Gap in the Literature” section of your problem statement. In the gap in the literature statement from the article you cited, the author(s) may recommend a specific type of study. If so, that may point to your methodology and design choice. If there is no specific method listed in the gap in the literature statement, look for key verb and noun word choices to help you pick your method and design. Verbs such as “examine,” “analyze,” “compare,” “measure,” “correlate,” “impact,” and “quantify” will indicate that a quantitative study is needed. Verbs such as “explore,” “describe,” “understand,” “illuminate,” and “discover” and nouns like “perceptions,” “experiences,” “perceived impact or effect,” and “interviews” will indicate that a qualitative study is needed. The language of the gap in the literature will help you indicate what method and design are needed in your study to allow you to collect the data you need to answer your research question. In this Assignment, you will draft the “Nature of the Study” section in your prospectus form.
To Prepare
- Review the Learning Resources and Course Announcement.
- Access your PhD prospectus form. Click the live links in the form to see exemplars of what should be included in each section.
- Enter your responses into the form, paying attention to the fill-in-the-blank boxes.
- Note that as a doctoral student you should adhere to a professional and scholarly tone, including following APA guidelines.
By Day 7 of Week 7
Write a draft “Nature of the Study” section in your prospectus form:
- Identify the approach/method (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed method) and research design you plan to use to address your research question(s) in the correct fill-in-the-blank areas.
- Identify the type of data you will need (for example: numerical data, narrative data, photo data, or a mixture of these).
- Identify the data points you plan to use (for example: survey responses, interview answers, or secondary data collected for another purpose).
- Identify limitations, challenges, and/or barriers you anticipate while conducting the study.
- Include your references in the “Background Literature” section of the form.
THE CHOSEN TOPIC IS ABOUT CHILDHOOD BULLYING. THE MAIN GOAL IS TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT CAUSES BULLYING AND HOW IT CAN BE MINIMIZED. THE APPROACH WILL BE QUALITATIVE AND THE SPECIFC RESEARCH DESIGN WILL MOST LIKELY BE INTERVIEWS WITH STUDENTS AND FACULTY.
