The proposal is chapters 1-3 do not include the abstarct
Will require a good problem statement and chapters 1-3 written
Chapter 1 – Introduction (Minimum page length = 3 pages / Maximum page length = 10 pages)
The purpose of this chapter is to “orient” the reader for what is to come. The first paragraph should begin with: “The purpose of this chapter is to provide an outline for the study.” Then complete the paragraph with an outline of the sections that are provided in this chapter.
Justification of the Study
In this section you should present information from the literature that supports the relevance of your study. An example follows:
Law enforcement agencies have long strived to identify common traits and behaviors that are associated with successful special agents. Given the stressful nature of law enforcement officer positions, it is logical to assume that it takes a certain type of personality to be successful in an incredibly dangerous job. While each federal law enforcement agency has its own qualitative and quantitative measures of success, a commonality may exist in the personalities of the more overall successful special agents. Many scholars posit that personality traits influence the performance of individuals and they also have an impact on individuals’ perceived fit with an organization (Mount, Barrick, & Li 2013).
The most commonly investigated factors used to determine occupational success is affiliated with human capital, such as training, work experience, and education (Judge, Higgins, Thoresen, & Barrick, 1999). While these factors are suggested to provide determinants of career success there is less research that explores the idea that dispositional causes may have an equal or greater impact. By leaning on the notion that dispositional causes may potentially be an influencing factor of career success, one acknowledges that individual behavior may be caused by factors that are a part of an individual, which in this study involves the exploration of personality characteristics.
Background
This section should describe the facts of the particular problem or situation that you have chosen to study. For example, if employee retention is a problem at your organization and you have chosen to study this, you should present the facts – e.g., actual numbers of attrition that the organization is encountering. You should describe the general environment that is directly involved in the problem or situation. For example, it may be that a particular department in the organization is experiencing greater turnover than other departments in the organization. You would want to be able to describe that environment as compared to that in other departments. This would also be the place where you would discuss related costs of the problem – in this case, employee turnover. Describe why this is a problem or concern for the organization.
Statement of the Problem
This should be a concise, clearly articulated descriiption of the problem that you are going to study. You should address the importance of studying the problem. This statement should align with and lead to the purpose statement.
Purpose Statement
The purpose statement should be presented in one concise paragraph that describes the intent of the study. For example, in the employee retention example, the intent of the study would likely relate to identifying reasons for the attrition.
Research Questions
Begin this paragraph with: This study is designed to answer XX – number of questions. Then list the questions. Quantitative Studies: Questions and resulting hypotheses must be answerable and testable.
Hypotheses
Begin the section with a sentence that introduces the hypotheses. An example follows:
Based on the wide array of literature on the Big Five/FFM’s personality characteristics, this paper proposes the following research hypotheses:
Note that you should include both null and alternative hypotheses. Each must directly correspond to a research question.
Summary of Methodology
Develop a beginning paragraph that describes what will be in this section. Example:
The methodology section describes the actions taken to investigate the research problems presented in this study. First, the population and sample size are presented. Second, the research instrument describes the measurement tools used to collect the data. Third, the data collection process describes the quantitative questionnaire given to the population. Last, the quantitative data analysis section describes the software program used to collect the data and analyze the relationship between the performance-related variables and personality-related variables.
Population and Sample (if Sample is applicable)
This section should describe the population from which you will collect data. If you are going to survey an “entire” group, department, company, etc., this would be a specific population. If you are sending a survey, for example, to all people in the group, department, company, etc., then this is the population. However, if your study will accommodate doing only a portion of the population, then you will have a “sample”. In order to know what portion of the population is appropriate for your “sample”, you must perform a specific calculation. Following is an example of how this would apply:
In order to calculate the appropriate sample size in a finite population one must use the statistical equation provided below (Hair, Anderson, Tatham, & Black, 1995). In this analysis, the confidence level is 90% (z =1.645), population proportion (p = .5), margin of error (e = .05), and population size (n=2000). The z value is a standard number for a 90% confidence level.
(z^2∙ (p(1-p))/e^2 )/(1+ ((z^2∙ p(1-p))/(e^2 N)) )
(〖1.645〗^2∙ (.5(1-.5))/e^2 )/(1+ ((〖1.645〗^2∙ .5(1-.5))/(〖.05〗^2 (2000))) )
270.6025/1.1353=238.35 or 239 Sample Size
Research Instrument(s)
Briefly introduce and describe the research instrument that you will use to test your hypotheses. An example follows:
In order to examine the criterion-related validities of broad and narrow personality traits associated with special agent success, this study combines questions relating to special agent performance as well as those in the NEO Personality Inventory 3 (NEO-PI-3) to determine if certain personality characteristics affect successful performance. The NEO-PI-3 is valid and reliable and one of the most respected instruments developed to measure the five major personality dimensions and the six facets that define each dimension (McCrae & Costa, 2010). The survey for this study is composed of 120 personality-related questions on the NEO-PI-3 and 15 questions on special agent performance. The survey questions are based on a 5-point Likert scale with answers ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
Data Collection Process
Briefly describe the process you will use to conduct your research. An example follows:
This study will use a quantitative survey to test for the proposed relationships. For each survey sent via SurveyMonkey, a cover letter will be included explaining the nature and importance of the study, detailed instructions to the respondent, a consent form, and a statement of appreciation in advance for their participation. In addition, a promise of confidentiality will be included. The sample size includes 239 retired or current special agents. Data collection consists of 2 mailings on SurveyMonkey with the data collection period being cut off after 6 weeks. NOTE: You will use future tense verbs when submitting your proposal. For your final paper, you will change all future tense verbs to past tense.
Quantitative Data Analysis
Develop a brief paragraph describing the data analysis process. An example follows:
Once the data collection period expires, the personality questions will be processed through the SPSS Statistics. The data taken from the NEO personality assessment and the data taken from the performance questions will be input into SPSS Statistics to conduct a multiple regression analysis and linear regression analysis to measure the relationship between the performance-related variables and personality-related variables.
Results of the Study
Develop a brief paragraph that describes the analysis performed Briefly summarize the results.
Definition of Key Terms
This section is relevant only for key operational terms that might not be commonly used or understood. For example, in your organizational study, there may be terminology that would be understood or used only by the specific organization.
Chapter 2 – Literature Review (Minimum page length = 15 pages / Maximum page length = 40 pages)
This section should include a comprehensive discussion of the relevant issues, perspectives and studies relevant to the overall topic. Present this information in a thematic or sub-topic scheme. You should present information that is specifically relevant to your problem or situation that is to be studied.
Guidelines: This section will be the longest of the chapters. Generally speaking, you should plan on 20 – 40 pages. Remember that a literature review is not to be done in a simple “book-report” fashion, but, rather is a synthesis of ideas and perspectives that you glean from the relevant literature. You should build your review by “synthesizing” as opposed to “summarizing” article by article.
Introduce the chapter and include a summary of the purpose statement that leads to the organization of your literature review. End the chapter with a summary that concisely presents key points in the chapter. You should have a minimum of three heading levels in this chapter. Remember that a major reason for the literature review is to provide rationale and justification for each of your hypotheses. You should conclude each section relevant to a specific hypothesis with a statement of that hypothesis. This should be done in an integrative manner. (In other words, do not simply type “Hypothesis 1”, etc. Rather, integrate the hypothesis in the narrative). An example follows:
“In the current study, this gap in the literature will be addressed by asking whether social support from families is related to self-esteem among recent adolescent immigrants. The hypothesis is that recent adolescent immigrants who receive social support from their families will have better self-esteem than recent adolescent immigrants who do not receive social support from their families.”
Also, when you develop the summary section of this chapter, in addition to summarizing key points, be sure that you end with a statement such as: Based on this literature review, the following hypotheses have been developed. (And, then present the hypotheses in list form).
Chapter 3 – Research Method (Minimum page length = 3 pages / Maximum page length = 10 pages)
Begin this chapter with an introduction and restatement of the problem and the purpose of the study. Also, include the research questions and hypotheses from Chapter 1. Follow the template below:
The first paragraph should begin as follows: This chapter describes the quantitative methodology used in this study. (Then provide an outline of what is in the chapter).
Restatement of the Problem
This should be a concise restatement of what was discussed in this section from Chapter 1.
Purpose
This can be a copy and paste from Chapter 1.
Rationale of the Study
This should be a condensed version of what was provided for this section in Chapter 1.
Hypotheses
This can be a restatement of what was provided for this section in Chapter 1.
Population and Sample (if applicable)
This needs to be a well-developed section which describes details about the population and sample, if applicable. There probably will be more detail here than summarized in Chapter 1.
Research Methods and Design
Provide a clear rationale for the study questions and any data gathering techniques and data analyses. Describe and justify the sample size. Accurately describe the research method and design.
Begin the section with a sentence that introduces the information such as: “The following paragraphs will describe the research instrument(s) used in the study, as well as discuss the data collection process and analysis in the research design”.
Research Instrument
In this section, include a descriiption of data sources. These could include:
Archived data (This should include a descriiption of how the data were originally collected and for what purpose).
Published Instruments (These might come from your literature review. You may be required to obtain permission to use these).
Original materials such as survey instruments that would be developed specifically for your study. (Include the final product as an appendix).
Interview protocol, including a descriiption of how the interview questions were developed. (Include the questions as an appendix).
Notes: Original survey instruments should be developed with approval and help of the Research Chair. Original instruments must go through a process of validation.
Operational Definition of Variables
This section may or may not be necessary.
Describe/define each variable and how it was measured or collected. Include a brief descriiption of how the variables have been operationally defined.
Data Collection Process
Describe the data collection process, including the types of data collected and how the data will be coded and what statistical analysis and software will be used.
For Quantitative studies, describe the statistical tests that were used for each hypothesis.
For qualitative studies, describe the qualitative design and explain the role of the researcher.
For Mixed Methods, provide information for both items 1 and 2 above.
Assumptions
Discuss any assumptions made about the population and research design and rationale for the assumptions.
Quantitative Data Analysis
Provide a concise paragraph that describes the analysis process, such as the following:
Once the data collection period expires, the personality questions will be processed through a multiple regression and linear regression analysis in SPSS Statistics. The regression analyses will be used to measure the relationship between the performance-related variables and personality-related variables.
Limitations
Describe any potential weaknesses associated with the study method and design. For qualitative methods, refer to appropriate qualitative research methods sources.
Ethical Assurances
An example for this section follows:
Wayland Baptist University has established the Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects (IRB) to develop and implement procedures to ensure the ethical treatment of human subjects. The primary purpose of the IRB is to oversee the inclusion of human subjects and the ethics of the research process.
In accordance with these policies, information regarding the study will be provided to each participant and they must agree to complete the survey of their own volition. Personally identifiable information will not be provided to the researcher and thus will not be disseminated in any way. As discussed previously, after the information is collected through SurveyMonkey, the report that will be exported for the researcher will not contain any personally identifiable information. Each respondent will be represented only by a number.
Summary
Provide a summary of key points in Chapter 3.
