Assignment Part 1: Data Gathering/Analysis
Gather data previously collected at the classroom, school, or district level to justify the identification of a topic for study.
OBJECTIVE: Identifying and analyzing a problem or weakness currently found in candidate's field of study for the purpose of completing the Research Proposal assignment. Remember, the Research Proposal is a proposal for an experimental research design.
Respond To The Following Prompts:
1. Identify the problem that you wish to research and write a problem statement. (i.e., The problem this study will address is poor student academic achievement.) (Chapter 1)
2. Identify your hypothesis. (Chapter 1)
3. Elaborate on how you determined this was a problem and write a purpose statement based on your problem statement. (i.e., The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of socioeconomic status on student academic achievement.)
4. Construct a graphical representation that allows for easy analysis of your compiled data that highlights your problem. Identify the source of the data and discuss its credibility. Examples of existing data might include school district test scores, absenteeism reports, graduation rates, cost, ranks, divorce rates, living habits, etc.
5. Discuss the data in your graphical representation to confirm that a problem or weakness can be addressed that is appropriate to the scope of the required program.
6. Connect the problem or weakness to trends or patterns represented in your data.
Assignment Part 2: Literature Review
You will conduct a literature review following APA format (most recent published edition) and become familiar with the scholarly debate surrounding your topic and what scholars and practitioners say about the best way to address the particular need or problem identified through the data analysis.
OBJECTIVE: Reviewing and writing a Review of Literature on your chosen topic for the purpose of completing UWA's Research Proposal assignment.
Respond To The Following Prompts:
1. Provide a developed statement of the research problem that demonstrates a sound and focused understanding of the identified problem.
2. Identify best practice(s) that will be used to address the problem or weakness. This should be a theorist or theory that is known and documented in the research literature.
3. Describe and justify a trend/theory that will be used to validate the use of the identified best practice(s) and clearly highlight the connection with the identified trend/theory to address the problem.
4. Provide reference listings (in APA format)for a minimum of 10 sources (largely representative of the most recent five years) you will useto describe/justify the best practice and/or theory identified. Be sure to include only sources that show clear connections with the best practice(s) and/or theory/trend identified as viable responses to the problem/weakness presented.
5. Provide a summary of the literature and how it justifies the need for the study. You are synthesizing your collection of sources into a brief 1-2 paragraph summary. Do NOT describe the specific studies included in your sources.
Assignment Part 3: Methodology/Action Plan
You will write a measurable and executable action plan on your chosen topic for the purpose of completing UWA's Research Proposal assignment. The action plan must be APA formatted (most recently published edition). Collaborative resources must be included, and each category in the grading rubric must be addressed. Evidence of collaboration with appropriate stakeholders is required.
OBJECTIVE: Writing a measurable and executable action plan on an identified topic for the purpose of completing UWA's Research Proposal assignment.
Respond To The Following Prompts:
1. Identify the population and provide a description of the participant sample and the sampling technique.
2. Justify the sampling technique and the sample chosen.
3. Describe the role of all participants and the plan to prevent harm to them, including the plan for protecting student confidentiality and data.
4. Provide a description of steps and sequence of steps required to complete a successful study.
5. Justify the plan of action with respect to the identified problem and purpose. Be sure to justify the connection between the plan and the expected impact on student achievement.
6. Define constitutive and operational definitions of key terms.
7. Identify the variables in the study and define how each will be measured.
8. Describe the data that is needed for the study and how it will be collected. Include a description of the timeline for the data collection.
9. Identify any instrument that will be used in the study and its validity and reliability measures.
10. Describe any threats to the internal validity of the study and measures for control.
11. Describe the limitations or outside interferences that might interfere with improved student achievement.