This final assignment draws on each of the six course learning outcomes and the course concepts. In this final week, you will compile a comprehensive research prospectus by applying the information you have learned throughout this course, synthesizing the foundational research elements you have developed, and integrating suggestions for improvement based on feedback you have received. This culminating project must demonstrate your comprehension and application of coursework and current research in relation to your research interests.

Now is an opportunity to think more deeply about the process of developing a viable theoretically-based study based on a topic of interest and significance. With a researchable problem in mind and with a clear idea of what qualitative or quantitative research involves, you will be able to think about carrying your ideas further and consolidating these ideas in terms of developing a dissertation proposal.

Your prospectus will serve as the preliminary research focus for your dissertation courses. While this is not intended to be a dissertation proposal, development of your prospectus will provide practice with applying research and academic writing skills before completing actual dissertation work. All the work that you completed in this course will be very useful in terms of developing your dissertation research proposal. This is the goal!

This week draws on all that you have learned so far in this course and offers you an opportunity to showcase your writing skills and organization of thought and logic, skills that will help you excel in the dissertation sequence. To complete this final assignment successfully, you will need to incorporate all of the feedback you have received in previous weeks of this course and integrate the suggested improvements.

Refer to the resources provided throughout this course as well as any new materials of your choice in the form of books and peer-reviewed literature. Now would also be a good time to search the NCU Library LibGuides and databases and seek some additional literature. In fact, you may have begun to do this already since you were reminded earlier in this course that keeping your literature current is so very important!

Since this final assignment is a valuable opportunity to prepare for the dissertation courses, you should be very thoughtful as you prepare this work. Following are some important points to consider as guidelines in preparing your Prospectus:

Include the following components in this order:

1. Title 2. Cover Page including Table of Contents 3. Introduction (includes background/context) – 2 to 4 pages in

length. 4. Research Problem (include problem statement) – Do not exceed

300 words. 5. Research Purpose – Content should be presented within one

single paragraph and not exceed one page. 6. Research Questions – Present research questions that are

directly answerable, specific, measurable, and/or testable within the given timeframe and location identified in the problem and purpose statements. Hypotheses are only listed in quantitative studies.

7. Methodology and Research Design – Be sure to clearly explain and justify all choices made.

8. Theoretical Framework – Include your rationale for selecting this framework and justify your choice by indicating (a) how the framework is suited to the study; and (b) the ways in which this framework can be used to potentially bring about new and significant knowledge and insights based on the study’s findings.

Remember, the objective of Ph.D. research is to be theoretically significant in terms of contributing to the body of knowledge in your field or discipline.

9. References – List these in accordance with APA 7 regulations. 10. Optional Appendix – While not required, here you may choose

to include any relevant documents or resources related to your theoretical framework and/or a diagrammatic form of your theoretical framework that you may have created.