Dowling College

School of Education

Educational Administration, Leadership and Technology

Spring 2010

EDU 9860

COURSE TITLE:    Dissertation Proposal Seminar

PROFESSOR:        Elsa-Sofia Morote, Ed.D.

                       Dowling email: morotee@dowling.edu

Course Description

Course requirements

Course Schedule:

Course Resources:

Dissertation Proposal Seminar Description

The essentials of developing a model proposal for the research project leading to a dissertation. Specific components of a good proposal, analysis of research proposals, and student research projects.

 Course Objective:

To facilitate the process of preparing a well designed research proposal.

 Course Goals:

1. to identify and describe the content and purpose of each of the elements of a dissertation proposal;

2. to study the connections between the various parts of the proposal;

3. to analyze research proposals with regard to strengths/weaknesses and techniques for developing a successful proposals;

 Course Outcomes:

Each student will:

1. understand the connections

a. between the research problem and the theoretical rationale;

b. between the research questions and the theoretical rationale,

c. between the research problem and the research questions,

c. between the research questions and the review of the literature,

d. among the research questions, the problem, and the methodology,

e. and between the review of the literature and the methodology;

2. be able to distinguish between the proposal and the dissertation.

3. understand and implement the requirements of the Institutional Review for the Protection of Human Subjects.

4. write chapters 1, 2, and 3 of a dissertation proposal. 

Required Text Books

 

Course Requirements

A complete prospectus is to be turned in by the end of the scheduled session. The grade will be based on progress, so you should make some.  For those who already have a dissertation topic, you should make good headway planning how to get the data and perhaps getting some.   For those who do not have a proposal submitted by the beginning of the course, you should have one complete and be moving beyond it to starting the research by the end of the term.  For those who have a dissertation substantially complete (there are none, but just so you know), you should have a draft finished should have presented a summary and mock defense by the end of the semester.

Course Schedule

Recommended Readings:

Bogdan, R.C. & Biklen, S.K. (1992). Qualitative research for education. Second Edition. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Booth, W.C., Colomb, G.G., Williams, J.M. (1995). The craft of research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press

Borman, K.M., Cookson, P.W., Sadovnik, A.R., & Spade, J.Z. (Eds.) (1996). Implementing educational reform: Sociological perspectives on educational policy. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing.

Boyan, N.J.(Ed.) (1988). Handbook of research on educational administration. New York: Longman.

Brause, R.S. (2000). Writing your doctoral dissertation: Invisible rules for success. London: Falmer Press.

Carson, T. R., & Sumara, D.J. (2001). Action research as a living practice. New York: Peter Lang.

Eisner, E.W. (1994). The educational imagination: On the design and evaluation of school programs. Third Edition. New York: Macmillan College Publishing Company.

Eisner, E.W.(1998). The enlightened eye: Qualitative inquiry and the enhancement of educational practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

Ely, M. (1991). Doing qualitative research: Circles within circles. London: Falmer Press.

Erlandson, D.A., Harris, E.L., Skipper, B.L., & Allen, S.D. (1993). Doing naturalistic inquiry. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Glatthorn, A.A. (1998). Writing the winning dissertation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Lawrence-Lightfoot, S.& Davis, J.H. (1997). The art and science of portraiture. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Macpherson, R.J.S. & Weeks, J. (1990). Pathways to knowledge in educational administration: Methodologies and research in progress in Australia. Armidale, South Australia: Australian College of Educational Administration.

McLaren, P.L. & Giarelli, J.M. (Eds.) (1995). Critical theory and educational research. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.

Murphy, J. & Louis, K.S. (Eds.) (1999). Handbook of research on educational administration. Second Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Posavac, E.J. & Carey, R.G. (1989). Program evaluation: Methods and case studies. Third Edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Prosser, J. (Ed.) (1998). Image-based research: A sourcebook for qualitative researchers. London: Falmer Press.

Sanger, J. (1996). The compleat observer?: A field research guide to observation. London: Falmer Press.

Shacklock, G. & Smyth, J. (Eds.) (1998). Being reflexive in critical educational and social research. London: Falmer Press.

Allan A. Glatthorn, Writing the Winning Dissertation, (Thousand Oaks, California:Corwin Press, 1998)

John Behling, Guidelines for Preparing the Research Proposal, 2nd Edition, (Lanham, Maryland University Press of America, Inc., 1984)

Written by a professor of social work to help the preparation of proposals in the social science and human services disciplines. A useful book with practical advice, though some practices can be challenged, for example, favoring the formulation of hypotheses before the review of the literature. The proposal outline is an excellent way to begin writing the proposal.

Lawrence F. Locke, Warren Wyrick Spiriduso and Stephen Silverman, Proposals that Work, (Newbury Park: Sage Publications, 1987)

Booth, W.C., Colomb, G.G., & Williams, J.M. (1995). The craft of research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (O)

Booth et al. introduce beginning researchers to the nature, uses, and objectives of research and its reporting; guide beginning and intermediate researchers through the complexities of planning, organizing, and drafting a report that poses a significant problem and offers a convincing solution; and show all researchers, from beginning to advanced, how to read their reports as their readers will, how to diagnose passages that readers are likely to find difficult, and how to revise them quickly and efficiently.

 Cone, J.D., & Foster, S.L. (1993). Dissertations and theses from start to finish: Psychology and related fields. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Provides the nuts and bolts needed to put together good theses and dissertations. The topics that are covered in the book follow the sequence that is normally encountered in the dissertation process--beginning with an assessment of the reader's preparation for the dissertation and ending with review strategies for handling your proposal meeting and oral defense and adapting the dissertation for presentation at professional meetings and submission for publication. Appendixes include APA's ethical standards for conducting research, lists of on-line bibliographic databases and statistical software, and an annotated bibliography of publications about research design, measurement, statistics, and writing style.

 Creswell, J. W. (1994). Research design: Qualitative & quantitative approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

This book advances a framework, a process, and compositional approaches for designing a qualitative or quantitative research study in the human and social sciences. This book offers a unique comparison of qualitative and quantitative approaches in the research process. This process includes deciding on a paradigm; using literature; writing an introduction; stating a purpose for the study; identifying research questions and hypotheses; using theory; defining, delimiting, and stating the significance of the study; and advancing methods and procedures for data collection and analysis.

 Davitz, J. R., & Davitz, L. L. (1996). Evaluating research proposals: A guide for the behavioral sciences (Rev. ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

This revised and expanded edition of the authors' widely used A Guide for Evaluating Research Plans in Psychology is designed for students involved in planning or critically evaluating research studies. The first part of the guide, "Criteria for Evaluating a Research Plan," contains a summary of the essential points to be considered in evaluating research models. The discussion of each of these points is preceded by a list of important questions students should ask about research. The second part of the guide, "The Language of Research," defines important terms and concepts employed in behavioral research and illustrates their use with concrete examples and applications. On pages 1-26 can be found a comprehensive description of criteria for evaluating a research plan, which amounts to an expanded checklist that breaks each specific criterion into subquestions.

Huck, S.W., & Cormier, W.H. (1996). Reading statistics and research (2nd ed.). New York: Harper Collins.

This revised and expanded edition is written for those who conduct their own research. The goals of the authors include providing the reader with (a) an understanding of statistical terms, (b) the ability to make sense out of (or how to set up) statistical tables, (c) a knowledge of what specific research questions can be answered by each of a variety of statistical procedures, (d) an understanding of hypothesis testing, statistical testing, and the "hybrid" method for assessing null hypotheses, (e) a facility for distinguishing between good and poor research designs, and (f) a feeling of confidence when interacting with research reports.

Issac, S., & Michael, W. B. (1995). Handbook in research and evaluation (3rd ed.). San Diego, CA: Edits Publishers.

Linton, M., & Gallo, P. S., Jr. (1975). The practical statistician: A guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.

Strunk, W., Jr., & White, E. B. (1979). The elements of style. New York: McMillan Company.

An excellent guide to improve language and style. These authors stress clarity and conciseness--qualities too often lacking in educational writing.

Arlene Fink. 1998. Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From Paper to the Internet.  [eBook] Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications Inc.

Leedy, Paul D, Omrod, Jeanne Ellis.  (2001).  Practical Research Planning and Design, (7^th ed.).  Merrill Prentice Hall.

Gay, L R, Airansian, Peter.  (2003). Educational Research Competencies for Analysis and Applications.  (7^th ed.). Merrill Prentice Hall.

Bogdan and Biklen, S. (1998), Qualitative research for education: An introduction to theory  and methods, Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

INTERNET RESOURCES

<http://www.LearnerAssociates.net/dissthes>“Writing and Presenting Your Thesis or Dissertation” by S. Joseph Levine, Ph.D.

<http://www.ecoach.com/>“The All-But-Dissertation Survival Guide”

<http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/dissertation.html> “Writing Your Dissertation” from U of NC at Chapel Hill’s Writing Center

The Association of Support for Graduate Students (ASGS) is a service organization of graduate students, graduate-student organizations (GSOs), and graduate-degree-granting institutions. ASGS services and products assist students to complete their theses and obtain their degrees, produce the highest quality of theses, and improve their lives during the thesis process.

The following services are offered by ASGS: DISSERTATION and THESIS NEWS, DOC-TALK, PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT DIRECTORY, COMPUTER TEMPLATE DISKS FOR EDITORIAL STYLES, ASGS STUDENT SURVEYS, and GRADUATE STUDENT ORGANIZATION SUPPORT (http://www.asgs.org).

To obtain Census information based on the 1990 census, access the Census= homepage (http://www.census.gov)

DIALOG (http://www.krinfo.ch/krinfo/products/dialog/index.html) is the world's most comprehensive online information source, giving access to over 450 databases. Contained in the DIALOG information collection are millions of documents drawn from more sources than any other online service - from scientific and technical literature to full-text trade journals, newspapers, and newswires.

DISSABS (Dissertation Abstracts) is a bibliographic database from University Microfilms Inc. that contains the definitive guide to subject, title, and author for nearly every dissertation granted at accredited North American universities since 1861. Selected masters theses from 1962 and dissertations from other institutions worldwide are included in the database.(http://info.cas.org/ONLINE/DBSS/dissabsss.html) 

The Department of Education (DOE)(http://www.ed.gov) web site contains news and resources for education including full text of many DOE publications.

Presenting Your Thesis or Dissertation

http://www.msue.msu.edu/aee/dissthes/guide.htm

This non-commercial "practical guide" has been created to assist in the crafting, implementing and defending of a graduate school thesis or dissertation. It includes a variety of strategies, suggestions and advice covering every stage of the thesis or dissertation project.

Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and Handbooks Resources and Dowling College

Almanac of American education. (2004). Lanham, MD: Bernan Press.
"Helps you understand and compare the quality of U.S. education at the national, state, and county levels." Compiled from the U.S. government and other private sources, this volume provides current and historical data on a wide range of topics: school enrollment, per-student expenditures, educational attainment, standardized test sores, and teacher salaries. An appendix contains links to useful websites. 
Ref. LA 217.2 .A45 2004

Attaining excellence: A handbook on the standards for the conduct and evaluation of research carried out by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement. (1999). Washington, DC: National Education Research Policy & Priorities Board.
All research funded by the National Education Research Policy & Priorities Board must pass a rigorous peer review process. This book explains the process and the expected minimum standards. It is useful for not only understanding NERPPB's procedures but can be used as a benchmark for evaluating other research projects. Also see the NERPPB's website.
Ref. LB 1028.25 .U5 .a87 1999

Guthrie, J. W., (Ed.). (2003). Encyclopedia of education. New York: Macmillan Reference USA.
This eight-volume set seeks to provide a comprehensive look at the "institutions, people, processes, roles, and philosophies found in educational practice." Signed entries are arranged alphabetically and contain brief bibliographies. Indexed.
Ref. & Brookhaven Ref. LB15 .E47 2003

Encyclopedia of educational research (vols. 1-6). (1992). New York: Macmillan Library Reference.
Arranged by topic, this set touches on all aspects of reading and literacy acquisition. Articles provide an overview of the issue followed by discussion of past research. References are also listed.
Ref. LB 15 .E48

Freed, M.N., Hess, R.K., & Ryan, J.M. (2002). The educator's desk reference (EDR): a sourcebook of educational information and research. Westport, CT: Praeger.
This volume is meant to aid researchers in the field of education in locating both print and electronic resources. Also includes a concise guide to educational software, educational publishers, and books and journals that are staples of the field. Extensive, comprehensive, and very up-to-date.
Ref.  LB1028.27.U6 F74 2002

Glass, T.E., Bjork, L., & Brunner, C.C. (2000). The study of the American school superintendency 2000: A look at the superintendent of education in the new millennium.  Arlington, VA: American Association of School Administrators.
This book is based on the results of a ten-year study of American superintendents and examines the changing role of school administrators. Chapters are devoted to professional experience and training, board relations, women and minorities as superintendents. Provides useful statistics as well.
Ref.  LB2831.72 .G54 2000

Jackson, P. (1992). Handbook of research on curriculum. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
This book focuses on the issues of how curriculum is studied and shaped, and how it acts as a shaping force. The book covers elementary education through high school and touches on all subject areas including physical and vocational education. Each chapter provides a brief history of the topic, review of current issues, issues recommended for future research, and a bibliography.
Ref. LB 1570 .H264 1992

Keeves, J. Educational research, methodology, and measurement: an international handbook, 2^nd ed. (1997). New York: Pergamon.
Instead of dealing with the subjects being researched, this book discusses the methods and mechanics of performing and evaluating research. It includes issues dealing with both qualitative and quantitative research; scientific and humanistic methods; statistical procedures; and political and ethical issues in education research.
Ref.  LB 1028 .E3184 1997

Kendall, M.G. (1982). A dictionary of statistical terms. London; New York: Published for the International Statistical Institute by Longman.
Provides definitions as well as guidance for using particular statistics in your computations. Equations included.
Ref. QA276.14 .K46 1982

Wittrock, M.C. (1986). Handbook of research on teaching, 3^rd ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
An overview of research on teaching, it discusses all levels of education from elementary through professional. It covers all significant topics including behavior, achievement, gifted learners, special education, bilingual, and moral education.
Ref. LB 1028 .H315 1986

Williams-Boyd, P. (2002). Educational leadership: A reference handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. 
Part of the Contemporary Education Issues series, this volume looks at the new ways leadership and authority are employed in today’s schools. The volume provides a look at the evolution of school leadership over time and includes a brief discussion of current models and perspectives. Chapter 7 features a select list of print and non-print resources for further study.
Ref. LB2805 .W524 2002

Writing Guides

Kendall, Maurice G.  (1982). A dictionary of statistical terms.  London; New York: Published for the International Statistical Institute by Longman.
Provides definitions, of course, but also guidance for using particular statistics as well as equations to use in your computations.
Ref. QA276.14 .K46 1982

Klausmeier, H.J.  (2001). Research writing in education and psychology—from planning to publication: A practical handbook. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher.
These guidelines, intended for graduate students, cover the “entire writing and publication process.” The focus is more mechanical than conceptual and will help you prepare your manuscript for journal publication. A good place to look if you have specific questions about how to incorporate numbers, figures, tables, and footnotes into your written work. Some guidance on punctuation and grammar is also provided.
Ref.  LB 2369 .K54 2001
Brookhaven Ref.  LB 2369 .K54 2001

Nicol, A. M., & Pexman, P.M. (1999). Presenting your findings: A practical guide for creating tables.  Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Once you’ve gathered your data, you’ll want to present it in a way that makes sense to your audience. This guide will help you organize your numbers into attractive tables. Includes an alphabetical list of various examples.
Ref.  HA 31 .N53 1999

Pan, M.L. (2003). Preparing literature reviews: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing.
The literature review provides essential background information and puts your research in context. This book will help you decide between qualitative or quantitative reviews as well as determine a topic and write your first draft. The “Checklist of Guidelines” in the back will help keep you on track and three examples of literature reviews are also included.
Ref. Q 180.55 .E9 P36 2000

Patten, M.L.  (2000). Proposing empirical research: A guide to the fundamentals.  Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.
For students “who are writing their first proposals for empirical research.” Begins with a definition of empirical research and includes chapters on proposing methods of instrumentation and analysis. Students may find the exercises helpful for getting started with the research process and can also look to the sample proposals for further guidance. Very user-friendly and can make a seemingly impossible task much more manageable and much less stressful.
Ref.  Q 80.55 .P7 P37

Patten, M.L.  (2002). Understanding research methods: An overview of the essentials. Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.
Research methods defined! This book provides a brief overview of various research methods as well as explanations of sampling, measurement, and experimental design. Also includes a chapter on understanding statistics and writing a literature review. This short volume would be a good place to start as you begin the proposal process.
Ref.  Q 180.55 .M4 P38 2002
Brookhaven Ref.  Q 180.55 .M4 P38 2002

Pyrczak, F. (2000). Completing your thesis or dissertation: Professors share their techniques and strategies. Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing.
Graduate students preparing to write a major paper might want to consult this “workbook”-style manual to get the their thoughts rolling in the right direction. Chapters focus on various aspects of the research and writing process, such as “Prospectus/Proposal,” “Overcoming Self-Doubt/Anxiety,” “Getting Help from Others,” “Goals & Timelines,” “Selecting a Topic,” and “Reviewing Literature.” Remember: you are not alone and others have been through the process before—and survived!
Brookhaven Ref. LB 2369 .C63 2000

Pyrczak, F.  (2003). Making sense of statistics: A conceptual overview. Los Angeles, CA: Pyrczak Publishing.
If numbers give you a headache, this book is for you. The author explains statistics in straight-forward language and illustrates how descriptive and inferential statistics are derived and used.
Ref.  QA 276.18 .P97 2003
Brookhaven Ref.  QA 276.18 .P97 2003

Pyrczak, F., & Bruce, R.R. (2003). Writing empirical research reports. 4^th ed. Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing.
Recommended for graduate students working on serious papers (theses and dissertations) as well as those who need to write “research-based term papers that resemble journal articles.” This is not a style manual (you’ll need the APA for that), but a series of guidelines that will help you compose the major elements of a research paper, including formulating a hypothesis and writing a literature review.
Brookhaven Ref. LB 2369 .P97 2003

Periodicals

To stay informed of current issues:
Education Statistics Quarterly
Educational Administration Quarterly
Educational Researcher
Educational Management and Administration
Leadership
The School Administrator
Theory into Practice

Use the Journal Locator to determine where each publication is indexed.
 

Books in the Circulating Collection

For more books try searching the catalog for the following subjects:
Education--Research
Elementary School Administration
High Schools Administration
School Administrators
School Management and Organization