Day #10, June 28th CEP 955 Summer Hybrid, 2013

Jack SmithMichigan State University

The rest of CEP 955Goal: Defensible proposal for advisor’s

examination by early AugustPhase III timelineInteracting with Jack & your advisorPracticum testimony from cohort I: Molly

Frendo, a “local” hybrid student“To do” list thinking and writing timeLunch

Phase III TimelineFirst week of July: suggested vacation

UnwindTrust back-burner thinking (during unwinding)

July 5th to July 19thWork on your “to-do” list and proposal draftIf you are ready, submit intermediate draft by 7-19Feedback from Jack within a week

Submit “course final” by August 2nd

August: Work with your advisor on “final” revisionsRecruit your Practicum CommitteePlan for Practicum Proposal meeting

Working with advisors (in Phase III)Non-teaching faculty donate time between

May 15th and August 15th Officially, they are not employed by the

UniversityEPET faculty do understand the importance

of this time for hybrid studentsBe understanding in your expectations for

their attention to your Practicum work (until 8-15)

Working with Jack (in Phase III)E-mail is best mediumIn July (esp. 7-5 to 7-19)

Jack will respond quickly to “smaller” requests, e.g., revised RQs

Intermediate draft (by 7-19) Help Jack by noting what is not there Help Jack by pointing out other concerns Jack will return a list of suggestions for major work (not

sentence-level editing)Course final (on/before 8-2)

Embedded comments; summary comments and evaluation; course grade

Unless you tell me differently, will send feedback and evaluation to you and your advisor

Another look at structure (RQs & study design)

RQs (& brief “definitions” of major constructs) Introductory paragraph: Overview of study Site(s) & participants

Site(s)—why these? Participants—the accessible population Sample & recruitment procedures

Data Collection Measures: one paragraph for each, choice, rationale, sample

questions/items Procedures: When and how will these be administered

Data Analysis Analysis table or sequential narrative Analysis of individual measures One paragraph for each RQ, e.g., “To answer RQ1, I will…” Interpretation: “If I get this result, then….”

Timeline: From Proposal meeting to writing and Defense Limitations References & Appendices

General Writing SuggestionsUse headers and sub-headers to direct the

reader’s attention and support their comprehension

Do worry about “smooth transitions;” proposal are not essays

Watch out for long sentences; try for simple declarative sentences

Stick with the active voice as much as possible (avoid constructions like “it was shown that…”)

Engage other readers for their suggestions; where do they have questions/get lost?

Outline or enter short phrases and sentence fragments in “new sections” as placeholders

IRB application (the parallel track)Has everyone completed MSU’s IRB training?Responsible investigator (advisor) and secondary

investigator (you)Accessing SIRB (social, behavioral, & education IRB) Download two forms: Expedited & Full application,

Exempt applicationTwo options: Expedited or Exempt

Hard to know which at this point in your proposal development

An important issue for all EPET doctoral studentsGuidance from advisor and SIRB staff

August task: Start composing your applicationConsent: who will be research participants; use

existing models of lettersDon’t underestimate the task and the challenge

Course EvaluationThe SIRS story: Making the best of a weak

evaluationStandard questions (written for undergrads)

and Jack’s four additionsWhy your evaluation matters