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Example Dissertation Template | Chegg Writing More tips linked here
<TITLE OF DISSERTATION, CENTERED, IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS,
DOUBLE-SPACED AND IN INVERTED PYRAMID FORM
IF MORE THAN ONE LINE >
by
<Student’s full official name>
DISSERTATION Submitted to the Faculty of
< XYZ University or College>
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements
For the Degree
DOCTOR OF <Name of Degree>
in the <Name of Program>
<Month of graduation, day, and year>
< Name,> Dissertation Chair
Example Dissertation Template | Chegg Writing More tips linked here
©Copyright by <Name>, <Year of Graduation>
All Rights Reserved
<TITLE OF DISSERTATION, CENTERED, IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS,
DOUBLE-SPACED AND IN INVERTED PYRAMID FORM
IF MORE THAN ONE LINE >
by
<Student’s full official name>
APPROVED BY __________________________________________
<Chair’s Name, Degree>, Chair
__________________________________________ <Member’s Name, Degree >, Committee Member
__________________________________________ <Member’s Name, Degree >, Committee Member __________________________________________ <Member’s Name, Degree >, Committee Member RECEIVED/APPROVED BY THE COLLEGE/SCHOOL OF <COLLEGE OR SCHOOL NAME>: <Associate Dean’s Name, Degree >, Associate Dean <Dean’s Name, Degree >, Dean
Dedication
This page is optional. If you do not include a dedication, delete this page. If you
do include a dedication, it must be double-spaced, one paragraph on one page, and
not more than 250 words.
Acknowledgments
This page is optional. If you do not include an acknowledgment, delete this page.
If you do include a dedication, it must be double-spaced, one paragraph on one
page, and not more than 250 words.
TITLE OF DISSERTATION, CENTERED, IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS,
DOUBLE-SPACED AND IN INVERTED PYRAMID FORM
IF MORE THAN ONE LINE >
by
<Student’s full official name>
Abstract
Abstract text must not exceed 250 words. It must be double-spaced, left-justified,
and presented in one paragraph, and must provide a complete, succinct picture of
the research, including the problem, methods, results, conclusions, and discussion
in one paragraph. The abstract should stand alone, with no formal citations or
references to chapters or sections of the work.
Table of Contents
Title
Copyright ii
Approval Page iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgments v
Abstract vi
Table of Contents vii
List of Tables xii
List of Figures xiii
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Background
Problem Statement
Purpose of the Study
Research Question(s) and Hypotheses
Theoretical Foundation and/or Conceptual Framework
Nature of the Study
Definitions
Assumptions
Scope and Delimitations
Limitations
Significance of the Study
Summary
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Literature Search Strategy
Theoretical Foundation
Literature Review
Summary
Chapter 3: Research Methods
Research Design and Rationale
Methodology
Population
Sampling and Sampling Procedures
Recruitment Procedures
Data Collection Procedures
Secondary Data
Intervention
Instrumentation and Operationalization of Constructs
Intervention Studies Involving Manipulation of an Independent Variable
Data Analysis Plan
Threats to Validity
External Validity
Internal Validity
Construct Validity
Ethical Considerations
Summary
Chapter 4: Results
Study Results
Summary
Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations
Interpretation of Findings
Limitations of the Study
Recommendations
Conclusions
References
Appendix A: Title of Appendix A
The above is a working table of contents. Not all headings will be the same or
necessary for every dissertation.
Chapter 1: Introduction
The introduction is a short description of the study. It should explain the need for
this research and why it should be done at this time and briefly describe the contents of
chapters 2 through 5.
It is a preview of the study and should list the five chapters with a brief
description of their contents.
Background
For background, explain how you came to select the topic for this research and
briefly summarize the recent research on the topic. Describe the gap in the literature that
you intend to address. Use this review to trace the development of the problem you
studied as a transition to the next section.
Problem Statement
Start with a strong, concise statement of the problem you studied. Include
statistics that serve as evidence of the nature, scope, and severity of the problem. Frame
the problem in such a way that it builds upon, or counters, previous research findings
from the last five years. Identify the problem as a gap between the current state of a
situation and the desired state of a situation.
Purpose of the Study
Provide a concise statement that serves as the connection between the problem
you have identified and the focus of your research. The purpose statement should indicate
who will benefit from the study and how the findings may be used to solve or mitigate
the problem.
Research Question(s) and Hypotheses
State the research question(s) and explain how they are intended to advance the
current state of knowledge concerning the problem. State the null and alternative
hypotheses (if applicable) that identify the independent and dependent variables being
studied and the associations being tested.
Theoretical Foundation and/or Conceptual Framework
Introduce the theoretical foundation, conceptual framework, or both, that
undergrids your study. Provide the original source(s) as well as a brief discussion of
current applications. Briefly state the major theoretical propositions and/or major
hypotheses you used and state that a more detailed explanation follows in Chapter 2.
Explain how the theory shaped the study approach and research questions.
Nature of the Study
In a brief and concise paragraph, provide (1) a rationale for selection of your
study design and/or tradition, (2) the key study variables (independent, dependent, and
covariates), and (3) a summary of the methodology including how data were collected
and how they were analyzed.
Definitions
Define the terms (with citations) you used that have specific meaning within the
context of your study and explain why these terms are necessary. Do not include common
terms that can easily be looked up in a dictionary.
Assumptions
If you are making claims that cannot be proven but which you believe to be true,
you must list them as assumptions. Only include those that are critical to an
understanding of the study. State why they are necessary to the study.
Scope and Delimitations
State the specific boundaries of your study in terms of what is and what is not
included. Define the boundaries such as geography, populations, race, ethnicity, gender,
and socioeconomic status as appropriate. Explain your inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Limitations
Describe limitations of the study that have to do with the design and/or
methodological weaknesses including issues with internal and external validity, construct
validity, and confounding variables. Describe biases that could influence your study
outcomes and the actions you used to address the limitations.
Significance of the Study
The significance of your study can be described in terms of your intentions to
advance theory, advance practice, fill a gap in the literature, and/or create positive social
change.
Summary and Transition
Summarize all of the main points in each section of this chapter and provide a
transition to Chapter 2.
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Provide an introductory summary of the current literature that establishes the
relevance of the problem. Give the reader a brief overview of the following sections of
this chapter including the main points that are covered.
Literature Search Strategy
Describe the strategy you used to locate the literature you used in developing your
research study. This description should include library databases, search engines, and key
search terms and combinations of terms (in italics) employed in your search. Be clear that
you searched for the most recent literature (past five years) as well as the seminal
literature. If you were unable to find current useful research, explain how you handled
that situation.
Theoretical Foundation/Conceptual Framework
Discuss the background theory or conceptual framework you used by covering the
following: (1) the historical background or source of the theory, (2) its major theoretical
propositions and/or major hypotheses, (3) a literature- and research-based analysis of how
the theory has been applied in a minimum of three or four previous studies (if possible),
(4) the rationale for why you chose this theory for your study, and (5) how your research
questions relate to, challenge, or build upon existing theory.
Literature Review
Provide a review of the current literature that provided background for your study.
Identify each (text citation with author and year and then enter full citation in your list of
references) and then briefly describe the study and how it contributes to your own study.
(Your department will determine how many references you should include in your
review.) Explore the ways in which the previous researchers approached the problem and
discuss the strengths and weakness inherent in each of their approaches. Finally, and
most importantly, synthesize their studies into a description of what is known about your
topic and where gaps remain. One way to synthesize this vast content is to identify and
then describe common themes found in this literature.
Summary and Conclusions
Describe how your study fills the gap in the literature and how it extends present
knowledge. End with a transitional narrative that connects the gap in the literature to the
research method you describe in Chapter 3.
Chapter 3: Research Method
Restate the study purpose as described in Chapter 1. Provide the reader with an
outline of the sections of this chapter.
Research Design and Rationale
Identify the research design and why you chose it to answer your research
questions. Explain any time and/or resource constraints you encountered. Describe how
the design choice is consistent with research designs needed to advance knowledge in
your area. State the study variables (independent, dependent, covariate, mediating, and/or
moderating) as appropriate.
Methodology
This narrative should be of sufficient length and depth so that your study can be
replicated by other researchers. Include IRB approval number.
Population
Define the target population. State target population size (if known) or
approximate/estimated size.
Sampling and Sampling Procedures
Identify and justify the type of sampling strategy. Explain specific procedures for
how the sample was drawn. Describe the sampling frame including inclusion and
exclusion criteria. Use a power analysis to determine sample size, and (1) justify the
effect size, alpha level, and power level chosen; and (2) cite the source or tool used to
calculate the sample size.
Recruitment Procedures
Describe recruiting procedures, how participants were provided informed consent,
and how participants exited the study (debriefing procedures, etc.). Describe any follow-
up procedures such as requirements to return for follow-up interviews and/or treatments.
Data Collection Procedures
Describe data collection procedures including all the demographic data items that
were collected. Detail methods of insuring participants’ privacy and how data were safely
stored.
Secondary Data
Include this section only if secondary data were used in the study. Include all
procedures that were necessary to gain access to the dataset, including necessary
permissions (with permission letters located in an appendix). If historical or legal
documents were used as sources of data, demonstrate the reputability of the sources and
justify why they represent the best sources of data.
Intervention
If an intervention was conducted, describe clearly and thoroughly the nature of
the treatment, intervention, or experimental manipulation, and how it was administered,
by whom, and to whom.
Instrumentation and Operationalization of Constructs
For published instruments, include in appendix and provide:
• Name of developer(s) and year of publication.
• Appropriateness to the current study.
• Permission from developer to use the instrument if necessary (permission
letter should be included in an appendix).
• Published reliability and validity values relevant to their use in the study.
• Where and/or with what populations the instrument was previously used and
how validity/reliability values were established in the study sample.
For all researcher instruments, include in appendix and provide:
• Basis for development (literature sources or other bases for development such
as a pilot study).
• How reliability was assessed (internal consistency, test/retest, etc.).
• Evidence of validity (predictive, construct validity, etc.).
• Establish sufficiency of instrumentation to answer research questions.
Operationalization. For each variable describe:
• Its operational definition.
• How it was measured or manipulated.
• How the variable/scale score was calculated, what the scores represent, and an
example item.
Intervention Studies or Those Involving Manipulation of an Independent Variable
If there were no materials/programs required for the study, then delete this
subsection, but provide a discussion of the operationalization of variables. Otherwise,
provide the following regarding materials/programs:
• Identify materials/programs applied as treatment or manipulation.
• Provide information on the developer of the materials and/or programs.
• If published, state where, how, and with what populations the instrument was
previously used.
• If you developed materials, state the basis for development and how the
materials were developed.
Data Analysis Plan
Identify software used for analyses. Provide an explanation of data cleaning and
screening procedures as appropriate to the study. Restate the research questions and
hypotheses here as written in Chapter 1.
Describe in detail the analysis plan including the elements below:
• Statistical tests used to test the research question(s)/hypothesis(es).
• Rationale for inclusion of potential covariates and/or confounding variables.
• How results were interpreted (key parameter estimates, confidence intervals
and/or probability values, odds ratios, etc.).
• Assumptions related to the selected hypotheses
Threats to Validity
External Validity
Describe threats to external validity (testing reactivity, interaction effects of
selection and experimental variables, specificity of variables, reactive effects of
experimental arrangements, and multiple-treatment interference, as appropriate to the
study) and how they were addressed.
Internal Validity
Describe threats to internal validity (history, maturation, statistical regression,
experimental mortality, and selection-maturation interaction as appropriate to the study)
and how they were addressed.
Construct Validity
Describe any threats to construct or statistical conclusion validity.
Ethical Procedures
Describe any agreements that were developed to gain access to participants and
their treatment and include the actual IRB application and approval documents in the
appendix. Discuss ethical concerns and how you addressed them, including as
appropriate (1) recruitment materials and processes, (2) data collection/intervention
activities including participants refusal to participate or early withdrawal from the study,
(3) treatment of data (including archival data), including issues of whether data were
anonymous or confidential and protection of anonymous data, and (4) other ethical issues
as applicable.
Summary
Summary of design and methodology of the method of inquiry. Provide a
transition statement to Chapter 4.
Chapter 4: Results
Study Results
Report statistical analysis organized by research questions and/or hypotheses: first
descriptive, then correlation, and then predictive statistics. Include exact statistics and
associated probability values, confidence intervals, effect sizes, and post-hoc analysis if
applicable. Include tables and figures to illustrate results, as appropriate, as described in
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition.
Summary
Summarize answers to research questions. Provide transitional narrative to the
research conclusions in Chapter 5.
Chapter 5: Discussion, Conclusions, and Recommendations
Think of this chapter as a bookend to Chapter 1. Summarize the problem and
purpose with language similar to that which you used in the introduction of Chapter 1.
Interpretation of Findings
This is where you are to summarize the findings in your own words. Think of how
you would describe your study findings to an interested colleague or family member.
Keep the writing scholarly, but not overly technical or statistically heavy. Cover these
points: (1) how your findings confirm, refute, or extend the knowledge in your area by
comparing them to the literature cited in Chapter 2, and (2) how, in hindsight, you might
have approached the study differently to obtain different results.
Limitations of the Study
Briefly describe the limitations regarding generalizability, trustworthiness,
validity, and reliability that arose from execution of the study.
Recommendations
Describe your recommendations for expanding on your work and how the
findings can and should be used to solve or mitigate the problem you cited in Chapter 1.
You may bring a bit of yourself into the dissertation. Ensure recommendations do not
exceed the study or ethical boundaries.
Conclusions
Close with a brief but strong message that your readers will remember with
clarity.
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