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[Title Centered in Bold Font Double-Spaced if Needed]

A [DOCTORAL STUDY PROJECT or DISSERTATION]

Submitted to the [Name of College]

of Trident University International

a member of the American InterContinental University System

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of [Degree] [in Name of Program if applicable]

by

[Your First and Last Name]

Chandler, Arizona

20[XX]

Defended [month dd, year]

Approved by:

[Enter the date of final College-level approval here formatted month dd, year]

Dean: [Name of College Dean, degree, College]

Dean: Amanda Jandris, PhD, Research & Doctoral Studies

Committee Chair: [Name of Chair, degree]

Committee Member: [Name, degree]

Committee Member: [Name, degree]

About This Template

Note: Delete these instructional pages before submission. All instructions are noted in blue font.

This template (2023 version) outlines the doctoral study project (DSP) and dissertation manuscript at Trident University International, a member of the American InterContinental University System. Within each section of this document, you will find recommendations and guidance to complete your proposal (chapters 1-3) and final manuscript (all five chapters).

You are required to follow APA format as you write.

Throughout this document, you will see brackets like these: […]. These brackets contain instructions for you and should be deleted and replaced with your own content prior to submission. Students must determine the most appropriate representations of information based on their field of study, research design, and in consultation with the DSP/dissertation chair.

If working on your proposal, you will use chapters 1-3. Add content to the relevant sections as you develop them. After data collection and analysis, you will expand the proposal to a final manuscript (all five chapters). When you submit your final manuscript, you must change the tense in chapters 1-3.

Each chapter begins on a new page. This document uses page breaks that should be retained. Chapter titles and all headings follow the APA Manual 7th Edition. Chapter titles are in heading level 1. Levels 2-5 are used to organize text within chapters. This template uses the Word automatic Table of Contents tool. A running head is optional, but if you elect to include one, it should be in the page header, flush left, in all caps, and not exceed 50 characters. All text is double-spaced, and the font is Times New Roman 12 pt. Please refer to the APA Manual for additional guidance on citations, tables, figures, appendices, and your reference page.

This document, and Chapters 3 and 4 specifically, are a general template. If conducting a quantitative or mixed methods study, refer to the appropriate Standards for Reporting Statistical Analysis Template for explicit content of what should be included in Chapters 3 and 4.

This is a living document, and your feedback and comments are appreciated. Don’t hesitate to contact a Doctoral Program Chair or the Dean of Research and Doctoral Studies if you have any feedback about this template.

Additional writing resources: Writing Resources

“Trident regards academic integrity as vital to the success of its students and to the reputation of the University as an institution of higher learning. Students attain their educational goals and enjoy an enriched academic experience only when there is effective learning. Effective learning occurs when students conduct their own research and are the sole authors of their work. The assessment of that learning is undermined when the originality of students’ work is questionable.

Trident, therefore, expects students to adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity in all their work.” (Trident University Catalog).

Additional information: Plagiarism

© 20[XX your full name]

Abstract

[NOTE: The Abstract is formatted as a single paragraph with no indent. The abstract is only needed in the full manuscript; it is not required in the proposal.

Guidelines: Left justified. No indents. No abbreviations or acronyms. No citations.

Maximum length is 250 words. The abstract includes the following items and is in the past tense.

Introduce the research topic briefly.

State the research problem and purpose and summarize the research question(s).

Clearly articulate the theoretical/conceptual framework, research method, design, and instruments used.

Identify the population, selection criteria, and sample size.

State the data analysis procedure used.

Summarize key findings of the study (include relevant effect size and p values), conclusions, recommendations, and implications.]

Acknowledgements

[Here you may place an optional acknowledgements page.]

Table of Contents

Abstract 5

Acknowledgements 6

List of Tables 11

List of Figures 12

Chapter 1: Introduction 13

Background 13

Problem Statement 13

Purpose Statement 14

Conceptual or Theoretical Framework 14

Research Question(s) 14

Definition of Key Terms 15

Summary 15

Chapter 2: Literature Review 16

Literature Search Strategy 16

Synthesis of the Literature 16

Summary 18

Chapter 3: Methodology 19

Research Methodology and Design 19

Role of the Researcher 19

Population and Sample Selection 19

Instrumentation 20

Pilot Study / Field Testing 21

Variables and Operational Definitions [quantitative and mixed methods studies only] 22

[First Variable 22

[Second Variable 22

Demographics and Control Variables [quantitative and mixed methods studies only] 22

Data Collection 23

Data Analysis 23

Assumptions 24

Limitations 24

Delimitations 24

Reliability and Validity 25

Ethical Assurances 25

Summary 26

Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Results 27

Data Collection 27

Data Screening 27

Sample Description 27

Validity and Reliability of Measures 28

Data Analysis and Results 28

Evaluation of Findings 29

Summary 29

Chapter 5: Discussion and Conclusions 30

Interpretation of Results 30

Implications for Theory 30

Implications for Practice 30

Implications for Research 31

Limitations 31

Recommendations for Practice 31

Recommendations for Future Research 31

Conclusions 32

Application to Practice [EdD DSPs only] 33

Executive Summary [DBA DSPs only] 34

References 35

Appendix A 36

List of Tables

Table 1 17

Table 2 19

Table 3 21

Table 4 26

[Create your List of Tables page by using the “References” feature in Word.

First, you must be sure that you have added captions to all tables. To add captions, select the table first, then, on the “References” tab, in the “Captions” group, click “Insert Caption.” For tables, select the “tables” label.

Once you are sure all tables have captions, on the “References” tab, in the “Captions” group, click “Insert Table of Figures.” Word will then automatically list all tables that you have captioned in your document.

To update the list, select the text in the list of tables and click “Update Table,” and then press F9.

The list of tables presented here is an example and should be replaced with your own tables listed. Consult the APA manual to ensure that all tables and table titles, figures, and figure captions conform to APA format.] 

List of Figures

Figure 1 16

[Create your List of Figures page by using the “References” feature in Word.

First, you must be sure that you have added captions to all figures. To add captions, select the figure first, then, on the “References” tab, in the “Captions” group, click “Insert Caption.” For figures, select the “figures” label.

Once you are sure all figures have captions, on the “References” tab, in the “Captions” group, click “Insert Table of Figures.” Word will then automatically list all figures that you have captioned in your document.

To update the list, select the text in the list of figures and click “Update Table,” and then press F9.

The list of figures presented here is an example and should be replaced with your own figures listed. Consult the APA manual to ensure that all tables and table titles, figures, and figure captions conform to APA format.] 

Chapter 1: Introduction

[In this opening paragraph or two of narrative, present your topic (main idea) and the context in which you are approaching the topic. Each assertion in this chapter and subsequent chapters must be supported with recent, scholarly, peer-reviewed sources. Toward the end of this section introduce the area of overarching theory within which you are addressing the topic. Don’t explicitly state your problem, purpose, or methodology as they are discussed and belong in subsequent sections.]

Background

[Present a clear overview of why the research topic is currently of interest. This section is the bridge to the problem statement. Go deeper into the topic and related theory. Describe what research has been done in this area and why the topic is important practically (applied), empirically, and theoretically. What is needed is a concise presentation of the practical issues you are concerned with and related to existing research and theory. Tie the study topic clearly to your field and concentration (if applicable). There should be a clear progression of thought leading up to the gap in existing theory so that there is a solid transition to the problem statement.]

Problem Statement

[This does not have to be long, but it does have to be complete. Clearly present the gap (in theory or literature) your research addresses and how you identified that gap (it is not enough to say it has not been studied). Your discussion needs enough detail to develop your research questions, and should provide evidence that the problem is current, relevant, and important. Clearly present how addressing the gap (in theory or literature) your research addresses is significant. What is the contribution the study makes to the body of knowledge/why is this research important? Articulate the negative consequences of not conducting the study. Within this section be explicit and state “The problem to be addressed by this study is…”]

Purpose Statement

[Concisely present the purpose of the study. In the problem statement you identified the gap. In the purpose statement discuss how you plan to fill that gap (what the study about). The study’s purpose and aims should stem clearly from the problem statement and knowledge gap. You should include the methodology and design you plan to use as an identification of the population/organization type/audience.]

Conceptual or Theoretical Framework

[Your conceptual or theoretical framework is based on your review of the literature and is clearly linked to your purpose statement. In chapter 1 you introduce this framework as the foundation of your study. You will go into much more depth on this in chapter 2. Questions to consider include: How does your study address a gap in the literature/research? What constructs (or variables) does your study attempt to explore or examine? Situate your study within other theory and research. Summarize why your study and the selected methodology addresses the phenomena or variables under study.]

Research Question(s)

[Begin with a general, overarching research question that speaks to the main purpose of the study. The follow this with numbered research questions that are clear, articulated, and specific, corresponding exactly to the study purpose. Be sure each is answerable and/or testable within the timeframe and location of your study. Be thought-provoking and open-ended (cannot be answered yes or no or in one word or phrase). Refer to the main constructs and relationships to be investigated in the study.]

RQ1. [Text of first research question here.]

RQ2. [Text of second research question here, if applicable.]

RQ3. [Text of third research question here, if applicable.]

Definition of Key Terms

[Identifies the key terms used in the study and provides clear definitions as used in the literature and for the purposes of the study. At a minimum define each of your variables. The key terms should be in alphabetical order, and each should include a citation. Present each in paragraph form with the term itself listed first in italics followed by a period. Then begin the definition. An example follows:

Precipitation. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls from above and hits the ground (Smith, 2023; Turner, 2022).]

Summary

[Summarize relevant and significant points of the chapter. Provide a scholarly transition to the next chapter.]

Chapter 2: Literature Review

[For sufficient depth, Chapter 2 must be a minimum of 30 pages in length and fully support the theoretical and conceptual development of your study. In this introductory paragraph, provide an overview of the general topic and general research question(s) to establish the context of the study and orient the reader to the field. You should fully describe the phenomenon of interest and broad theory. Lead toward the introduction of prior research and theory in the theoretical orientation and conceptual framework sections.]

Literature Search Strategy

[Describe the library and search engine sources, and search terms. Rely on literature from the last 5 years when possible. 50% or more of references should be recent and peer reviewed. These are guidelines, but the topic selected, and your study design should drive this and should be discussed with your chair. At minimum, 50 relevant sources should be cited.]

Synthesis of the Literature

[The body of your literature review must address these topics: theoretical orientation, conceptual framework, and a synthesis of what is known about your topic and research problem. Your review should be organized using sub-headings (APA heading levels 3, 4, and 5) to organize the narrative in this and each section that follows in chapter 2. Discuss in depth any foundational studies that inform your study including methodology, design, sample size, and study recommendations. The order in which you present your synthesis, theoretical orientation, and conceptual framework should be discussed with your chair. Additional resources related to writing literature reviews are provided at the end of this section.

If completing a quantitative or mixed methods study, be sure you include a hypothesis development section and description of your research model. Develop a diagram of your model and a table relating the research questions to the relevant hypotheses (quantitative and mixed methods studies only). An example figure and table are included below.]

Literature review resources available in the Trident Library:

Oliver, P. (2012). Succeeding with your literature review. McGraw-Hill Education.

Boote, D. N., & Beile, P. (2005). Scholars before researchers: On the centrality of the dissertation literature review in research preparation. Educational Researcher, 34(6), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X034006003]

Figure 1

Research Model

Table 1

Table of Hypotheses

Research Question

Hypothesis

Primary Theory

1. How does engagement affect productivity?

1. Engagement is positively related to productivity

Engagement Theory (Smith and Jones, 2021)

2. Next research question

2a. First hypothesis answering the second research question.

Theory of Planned Behavior (Davis, 2020)

2b. Second hypothesis answering the second research question.

Attitude Behavior Theory (Harris, 2020)

3. Next research question

3. Hypothesis answering the third research question.

Technology Acceptance Model (Roberts, 2019)

[Note about the use of published images, figures and/or tables: If published images, figures, and/or tables are presented in chapter 2 or any other section of your manuscript, you must obtain permission from the copyright holder. Personal and Fair Use in the case of dissertations and DSPs does not apply.]

Summary

[Summarize relevant and significant points of the chapter. Provide a scholarly transition to the next chapter.]

Chapter 3: Methodology

[Restate the problem statement and purpose verbatim in this introduction. Give a brief narrative description of the research model. Provide a succinct overview of the contents of Chapter 3 that clearly identifies the research methodology and design in a single statement.]

Research Methodology and Design

[In your first paragraph, briefly describe the research methodology selected. Include a brief justification for why you selected the methodology with supporting citations. Identify alternative methodologies and include a statement about why the selected method was determined to be more appropriate than other methods.

In your second paragraph, briefly describe the research design selected. Include a brief justification for why you selected the design with supporting citations. Identify alternative designs and include a statement about why the selected design was determined to be more appropriate than other designs.]

Role of the Researcher

[Explain your role as researcher and any relationships that may exist with the participants or organizations under study.]

Population and Sample Selection

[What is the overall population of interest? Within that population, who will be your participants (sample)? Will you have any subgroups, and if so what criteria will be used to establish these groups? Specify the number of participants required and use a power analysis tool to determine the appropriate sample and effect size for quantitative and mixed methods studies. Include evidence of this analysis in your appendix. How will you recruit the sample? Explain any permissions required. If applicable, explain how consent will be secured.]

Instrumentation

[Describe any archived data or other secondary data and include a description of how the data were originally collected and for what purpose along with information regarding validity and reliability. Describe any published instruments (tests, questionnaires, observation procedures) that will be (proposal) or were (full manuscript) used, including information on their origin, evidence of their reliability and validity, and your rationale for selection. Describe in detail any materials (including survey/instruments, field testing or pilot testing of instruments) and include their results and any subsequent modifications. Describe interview protocols including a description of how the interview questions were developed with appropriate qualitative research method support. Adequately describe any apparatus including the model/make, how it is used, and outcome(s) it provides. Use an instrument matrix table to summarize your selections (example table follows). Show and include evidence that permission was granted to use the instrument(s) in the appendix.

Table 2

Instruments Matrix

Instruments

[list sequentially]

Construct / RQ Examined 

Sample Size and Rationale [per instrument, not your total sample size] 

Traits of Group/ Subgroup 

[describe inclusion criteria] 

Permissions 

[indicate instrument permission and/or access to subgroup, provide documentation in the appendix]

Questionnaire 

Morale – RQ1 

15 – saturation of data (citation) 

Employee 

1-year experience

Author permission granted mm/dd/yyyy; site permission granted mm/dd/yyyy 

Interview 

Experiences – RQ2 

5 – (citation) 

Customer 

Researcher developed; site permission granted mm/dd/yyyy   

Focus Group 

Improvement strategies – RQ3 

5 – convenience sample (citation) 

Leader 

Researcher developed; site permission granted mm/dd/yyyy   

Note. This table includes examples. Replace content with specifics related to your study and remove the instructional text.

For quantitative studies, instrument self-development is strongly discouraged owing to the amount of time and skills that are required to create a valid and reliable instrument. For qualitative studies, the use of newly developed and literature-based interview protocols is more common and acceptable. Describe the development process in detail followed by the field-testing procedures used and consequent modifications that were made.]

Pilot Study / Field Testing [if applicable]

[Briefly describe any planned pilot study and its purpose. The normal purpose is to verify the readability and clarity of your survey using a small group of test participants known to you, not the actual study participants.]

Variables and Operational Definitions [quantitative and mixed methods studies only]

[Operational definitions are dissimilar from the conceptual definitions that are provided in the Definition of Terms section of Chapter 1. Note that operational definitions specify how the variables will be (proposal) or were (full manuscript) measured. Use subheadings for each variable. Provide the source and reliability of each scale. Make sure you include every variable used in your hypotheses.

A Table of Variables (see example) is required at the end of this section which defines each variable based on type, the Level of Measure, and role in the analysis (independent variable, dependent variable, and covariates).]

[First Variable. (Define it, how you going to operationalize, how are you going to measure it, where did you get the scale, what was its reliability)]

[Second Variable. (Define it, how you going to operationalize, how are you going to measure it, where did you get the scale, what was its reliability)]

Demographics and Control Variables [quantitative and mixed methods studies only]

[List each demographic/control variable you plan to collect along with a brief justification for collecting it (if you plan to use the demographic as a hypothesized covariant it should appear in the Variables and Operational Definitions section).]

Table 3

Summary of Variables

Variable

Type(s)

LoM

Values

Data source

[Name of DV1]

Dependent-1

Interval

0-50 units

Survey

[Name of DV2]

Dependent-2

Ordinal

1 = low

2 = average

3 = high

Survey

[Name of IV1]

Independent-1

Interval

1-10 units

Secondary data

[Name of IV2]

Independent-2

Nominal

0 = left

1 = right

Secondary data

[Specific Demographic (e.g., age)]

Covariate-1

Interval

18-75 years

Survey

Note: LoM = level of measurement, DV = dependent variable, IV = independent variable.   

Data Collection

[Describe your data collection plan. Be as specific as possible as to how you will collect primary data for your chosen sample. Confidentiality and privacy should be discussed as well. If you are using secondary data, include a description of how the data were originally collected and for what purpose along with information regarding validity and reliability, or face validity, as appropriate.]

Data Analysis

[In this section, describe in a step-by-step manner how data will be prepared and analyzed. Give a good description of how your will clean data, code (if applicable), test for validity and reliability, and how you will test the hypotheses, if appliable (regression, SEM, etc.). If your study is quantitative or mixed methods, be sure to refer to the Standards of Statistical Analysis and Presentation of Results document in the Research and Doctoral Studies Libguide for your planned research statistical method in completing this section. Also discuss how you plan to test for control variable interaction (if applicable). If using software to assist in your analysis (e.g. SPSS, MAXQDA) identify it in this section.]

[Insert statistical analysis table here (refer to the Standards of Statistical Analysis and Presentation of Results document in the Research and Doctoral Studies Libguide for examples).]

Assumptions

[Discuss the assumptions about the study population and design along with the corresponding rationale and support underlying them. If your study is quantitative or mixed methods you must list the assumptions for each statistical test. If you plan to use parametric tests, be sure to describe the non-parametric alternatives you will use if you fail to meet the parametric assumptions.]

Limitations

[Describe the study limitations (potential weaknesses to interpretation and validity) within the context of the study design. Discuss the measures that were taken to mitigate these limitations. Detail the methods/strategy used to address missing data, nonresponse rates, participant honesty, etc. Review any potential threats to validity (specific to the study design) and how they will be addressed to the extent possible.]

Delimitations

[Discuss the scope of data used in the study and describe the study delimitations along with the corresponding rationale underlying them. Explain how these delimitations (research decisions) relate to the existing literature and theoretical/conceptual framework, problem statement, and research questions.]

Reliability and Validity

[Describe the strategies you’ll use to establish reliability and validity for your study as a whole. If you have qualitative elements in your study, how will you establish credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability? For all studies, be sure to address any issues related to bias.]

Ethical Assurances

[Discuss compliance with the ethical standards for conducting research as appropriate to the proposed research design including sufficient information on protection for human subjects. Describe the informed consent procedures and how confidentiality of the participants will be (proposal) or was (full manuscript) maintained. If the risk to participants is greater than minimal, discuss the relevant ethical issues and how they will be (proposal) or were (full manuscript) addressed. Identify how the data will be (proposal) or were (full manuscript) securely stored in accordance with IRB requirements as appropriate. Describe the role of the researcher in the study. Discuss relevant issues, including biases as well as personal and professional experiences with the topic, problem, or context. Present the strategies that will be (proposal) or were (full manuscript) used to prevent these biases and experiences from influencing the analysis or findings. Describe how you will obtain ethical assurances for formal IRB approval of the study. Compose a confirmation statement that the study will (proposal) or did (full manuscript) receive Institutional Review Board approval from Trident University International prior to data collection.]

Summary

[Summarize relevant and significant points of the chapter. Provide a scholarly transition to the next chapter.]

Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Results

[Begin Chapter 4 with a brief paragraph of the purpose of the study and the data collection process as they relate to the research problem and research questions.]

Data Collection

[Describe the actual data collection process as it occurred. Include a description of any deviations or additional IRB approvals required.]

Data Screening

[Include a description of the data assessment including information on missing data, outliers, normality, how unforeseen issues were rectified, any data cleaning that occurred before data analysis. If invalid cases were removed or missing data replacement procedures were used, detail them here. If any items required reverse scoring, describe that here. If transcripts were edited, describe that process here.]

Sample Description

[In the sample description section, you report the characteristics of the participants. Begin with an overview of the demographic information collected and present the demographic analysis (including sample characteristics and frequencies) in tables or figures properly formatted to APA guidelines. Tables are generally preferred, but figures may be used. Be sure you only present demographic variables you have identified and justified as relevant in earlier chapters.]

Validity and Reliability of Measures

[In this section the objective is to confirm the measures for each measured variable/construct are valid and reliable prior to using them for analysis. Provide a detailed description of the steps used accompanied by appropriate tables to present the results.

For quantitative and mixed methods studies, please see the appropriate Standards for Statistical Analysis and Presentation of Results document in Research and Doctoral Studies Libguide for detailed guidance.]

Data Analysis and Results

[Describe the data analysis process as it occurred. For quantitative and mixed methods studies, please see the appropriate Standards for Statistical Analysis and Presentation of Results document for detailed guidance on the specific elements to include in this section. For qualitative studies you may organize your presentation in this section using subheadings to describe your themes/findings. Be sure that your presentation is logical and contains sufficient detail to support your codes and themes. A code book sample (see example below) or table of themes may be included in this section.]

Table 4

Codebook Example

Code

Definition

Example (in vivo text)

Diversity

Varied demographics, perspectives, experiences

“And in that it’s, it’s both, I think that that Landon does a good job of trying to expose, you know, the richness of, um, the diversity within the group adds a lot to the learning environment.”

Exhaustion

Expressions related to being tired, physically, or mentally, overwhelmed

“I also will say the thing that I, I struggled with most just sort of on my own like tiredness and sort of, um, sometimes frustration is that I didn’t anticipate the preparation for the intensives to be so, um, demanding. So I, I, anticipated the intensives being demanding and they were, but I didn’t anticipate there being so much.”

Note: The full codebook is included in the appendix.

Evaluation of Findings

[In this final section summarize the outcomes of your analysis by research question/hypothesis. Also discuss if the results were consistent with existing research and theory, and if different than expected potential explanations for the unexpected results. Do not draw conclusions beyond what can be interpreted directly from the results obtained. Conclusions and connections to literature are placed in chapter 5.]

Summary

[Summarize relevant and significant points of the chapter. Provide a scholarly transition to the next chapter.]

Chapter 5: Discussion and Conclusions

[Begin Chapter 5 with a brief overview of the problem statement, purpose of the research, methodology, and overarching research question.]

Interpretation of Results

[At the end of Chapter 4 in the evaluation of findings you summarized the outcomes of your analysis by hypothesis. This section differs in that the organization is by research question, not by hypothesis. Use the results obtained in your analysis to answer the research questions in the order presented in previous chapters. Use each research question as a subheading (APA level 3), and address them one by one, drawing logical conclusions. Support all the conclusions with one or more findings from the study and avoid drawing conclusions that are beyond the scope of the study results. Also discuss any factors or potential limitations that might have influenced the interpretation of results.]

Implications for Theory

[Describe the degree to which the results are consistent with existing research and theory and provide potential explanations for inconsistent, conflicting, or unexpected results. Present the results back into context by describing the extent to which the results respond to and addresses the study problem, fit with the purpose, demonstrate significance, and contribute to the existing literature described in Chapter 2, and advance the field.]

Implications for Practice

[Present and discuss all the results regarding how the study findings can be applied to practice. Support all the recommendations with one or more study findings and develop and frame them with the literature from Chapter 2. Do not overstate (exaggerate) the applicability of the findings.]

Implications for Research

[Discuss potential mechanisms/theories for unexpected findings. Detail the study strengths, limitations, and delimitations and how the result of the research methods might be handled differently or improved. The focus of this section is on the research methods used, not the recommendations for advancing the research.]

Limitations

[Describe the study limitations (potential weaknesses to interpretation and validity) within the context of the study design. Discuss measures taken to mitigate these limitations. Detail the methods/strategy used to address missing data, nonresponse data, participant candor/honesty, etc. Review any potential threats to validity (specific to the study design) and how they were addressed to the extent possible.]

Recommendations for Practice

[Present and discuss all the recommendations regarding how the study findings can be applied to practice and/or theory. Support all the recommendations with one or more study findings and develop and frame them with the literature from Chapter 2. Do not overstate (exaggerate) the applicability of the findings.]

Recommendations for Future Research

[Present and elucidate, using the framework, findings, and implications, how/what future researchers may do to learn from and build upon this study. Justify these explanations. Describe how future researchers can improve upon this study given the limitations. Present and explain the next logical step is in this area of research.]

Conclusions

[Provide a strong, concise conclusion to the manuscript and include a summary of the study, the problem that was addressed, and the importance of the study. Present the “take-away” message of the complete study. Emphasize what the results of the study mean with respect to previous research and either theory or practice.]

Application to Practice [EdD DSPs only]

[Consult with your chair about the content of this section. It should include an application to your professional practice that is informed by the findings of your study. The content of the application to practice is based on your findings and is original work that contributes to practitioner knowledge about your topic. This section may range from 25-30 pages.

Options include a training, a handbook, a policy initiative, or other application practice. If you develop a training, you can include PPT slides that include notes on the content of the training or what the instructor or trainee should accomplish. Remember to link your application to practice to the findings of your study.]

Executive Summary [DBA DSPs only]

[Consult with your chair about the content of this section. It should include:

Introduction to the Business Problem

The Study

The Findings

Analysis of the Findings

Key Implications for Business

Recommendations for Practitioners

This section may range from 3-5 pages.]

References

[List all references cited in the manuscript. Order the list of references alphabetically by author. Use a 0.5 inch hanging indent and double-space. Format the references to current APA guidelines, providing DOI information where available (with live links). Examples are included below.

Boote, D. N., & Beile, P. (2005). Scholars before researchers: On the centrality of the dissertation literature review in research preparation. Educational Researcher, 34(6), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X034006003

Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.2307/3151312

Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8

Oliver, P. (2012). Succeeding with your literature review. McGraw-Hill Education.]

Appendix A

[Appendices should be presented in the order they are referenced in the body of the manuscript. At a minimum, the appendices should include:

Power analysis evidence if used to determine sample size

Relevant site permission(s)

Relevant recruitment letter(s)

Informed consent letter(s)

Copies of instruments

Evidence of permission to use or adapt published instruments (if required)

IRB training (CITI) certificate

Evidence of IRB approval (final manuscript only)

Note: some elements may require redaction prior to publication of the final manuscript. Each appendix item should be listed with a new appendix letter in alphabetical order: Appendix A, B, C…]