CHAPTER 1: THE INTRODUCTION OF YOUR

CAPSTONE PROJECT,
DOCTORAL DISSERTATION, OR MASTERS THESIS
Our consultants assist students to focus on a specific gap in the knowledge and meet
the requirements in this chapter needed to defend the choice of that gap.
Chapter 1, with a highly focused review of the literature, and is normally the prospectus that a
committee approves before the proposal to start research is approved. After the prospectus is
approved, some of the review of literature may be moved into Chapter 2, which then becomes part of
the proposal to do research.
Chapter 1 is the engine that drives the rest of the document, and it must be a complete empirical
argument as is found in courts of law. It should be filled with proofs throughout. It is not a creative
writing project in a creative writing class; hence, once a word or phrase is established in Chapter 1,
use the same word or phrase throughout the dissertation. The content is normally stylized into five
chapters, repetitive in some sections from dissertation to dissertation. A lengthy dissertation may
have more than five chapters, but regardless, most universities limit the total number of pages to 350
due to microfilming and binding considerations in libraries in those institutions requiring hard copies.
Use plenty of transitional words and sentences from one section to another, as well as subheadings,
which allow the reader to follow the writers train of thought. Following is an outline of the content of
the empirical argument of Chapter 1. Universities often arrange the content in a different order, but
the subject matter is the same in all dissertations because it is an empirical opening statement as
might be found in a court of law. (Note that a dissertation could also be five pages of text and 50
pages of pictures of dragonfly wings and qualify for a Doctors degree in entomology.)
Introductory Paragraph
State the general field of interest in one or two paragraphs, and end with a sentence that states what
study will accomplish. Do not keep the reader waiting to find out the precise subject of the
dissertation.
Background of the Problem
This section is critically important as it must contain some mention of all the subject matter in the
following Chapter 2 Review of the Literature 2 and the methodology in Chapter 3. Key words should
abound that will subsequently be used again in Chapter 2. The section is a brief two to four page
summary of the major findings in the field of interest that cites the most current finding in the subject
area. A minimum of two to three citations to the literature per paragraph is advisable. The paragraphs
must be a summary of unresolved issues, conflicting findings, social concerns, or educational,
national, or international issues, and lead to the next section, the statement of the problem. The
problem is the gap in the knowledge. The focus of the Background of the Problem is where a gap in
the knowledge is found in the current body of empirical (research) literature.
Statement of the Problem

Arising from the background statement is this statement of the exact gap in the knowledge discussed
in previous paragraphs that reviewed the most current literature found. A gap in the knowledge is the
entire reason for the study, so state it specifically and exactly. Use the words gap in the knowledge.
The problem statement will contain a definition of the general need for the study, and the specific
problem that will be addressed.
Purpose of the Study
The Purpose of the Study is a statement contained within one or two paragraphs that identifies the
research design, such as qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, ethnographic, or another design.
The research variables, if a quantitative study, are identified, for instance, independent, dependent,
comparisons, relationships, or other variables. The population that will be used is identified, whether it
will be randomly or purposively chosen, and the location of the study is summarized. Most of these
factors will be discussed in detail in Chapter 3.
Significance of the Study
The significance is a statement of why it is important to determine the answer to the gap in the
knowledge, and is related to improving the human condition. The contribution to the body of
knowledge is described, and summarizes who will be able to use the knowledge to make better
decisions, improve policy, advance science, or other uses of the new information. The new data is
the information used to fill the gap in the knowledge.
Primary Research Questions
The primary research question is the basis for data collection and arises from the Purpose of the
Study. There may be one, or there may be several. When the research is finished, the contribution to
the knowledge will be the answer to these questions. Do not confuse the primary research questions
with interview questions in a qualitative study, or survey questions in a quantitative study. The
research questions in a qualitative study are followed by both a null and an alternate hypothesis.
Hypotheses
A hypothesis is a testable prediction for an observed phenomenon, namely, the gap in the knowledge.
Each research question will have both a null and an alternative hypothesis in a quantitative study.
Qualitative studies do not have hypotheses. The two hypotheses should follow the research question
upon which they are based. Hypotheses are testable predictions to the gap in the knowledge. In a
qualitative study the hypotheses are replaced with the primary research questions.
Research Design
In Chapter 1 this is a summary of the methodology and contains a brief outline of three things: (a)
the participants in a qualitative study or thesubjects of a quantitative study (human participants are
referred tyo as participants, non-human subjects are referred to as subjects), (b)
the instrumentation used to collect data, and (c) the procedure that will be followed. All of these
elements will be reported in detail in Chapter 3. In a quantitative study, the instrumentation will be
validated in Chapter 3 in detail. In a qualitative study, if it is a researcher-created questionnaire,
validating the correctness of the interview protocol is usually accomplished with a pilot study. For
either a quantitative or a qualitative study, using an already validated survey instrument is easier to
defend and does not require a pilot study; however, Chapter 3 must contain a careful review of the
instrument and how it was validated by the creator.
In a qualitative study, which usually involves interviews, the instrumentation is an interview protocol
a pre-determined set of questions that every participant is asked that are based on the primary
research questions. A qualitative interview should contain no less than 10 open-ended questions and
take no less than 1 hour to administer to qualify as robust research.

In the humanities, a demographic survey should be circulated with most quantitative and qualitative
studies to establish the parameters of the participant pool. Demographic surveys are nearly identical
in most dissertations. In the sciences, a demographic survey is rarely needed.
Theoretical Framework
The theoretical framework is the foundational theory that is used to provide a perspective upon which
the study is based. There are hundreds of theories in the literature. For instance, if a study in the
social sciences is about stress that may be causing teachers to quit, Apples Intensification Theory
could be cited as the theory was that stress is cumulative and the result of continuing overlapping,
progressively stringent responsibilities for teachers that eventually leads to the desire to quit. In the
sciences, research about new species that may have evolved from older, extinct species would be
based on the theory of evolution pioneered by Darwin.
Some departments put the theoretical framework explanation in Chapter 1; some put it in Chapter 2.
Assumptions, Limitations, and Scope (Delimitations)
Assumptions are self-evident truths. In a qualitative study, it may be assumed that participants be
highly qualified in the study is about administrators. It can be assumed that participants will answer
truthfully and accurately to the interview questions based on their personal experience, and that
participants will respond honestly and to the best of their individual abilities.
Limitations of a study are those things over which the research has no control. Evident limitations are
potential weaknesses of a study. Researcher biases and perceptual misrepresentations are potential
limitations in a qualitative study; in a quantitative study, a limitation may be the capability of an
instrument to accurately record data.
Scope is the extent of the study and contains measurements. In a qualitative study this would include
the number of participants, the geographical location, and other pertinent numerical data. In a
quantitative study the size of the elements of the experiment are cited. The generalizability of the
study may be cited. The word generalizability, which is not in the Word 2007 dictionary, means the
extent to which the data are applicable in places other than where the study took place, or under what
conditions the study took place.
Delimitations are limitations on the research design imposed deliberately by the researcher.
Delimitations in a social sciences study would be such things as the specific school district where a
study took place, or in a scientific study, the number of repetitions.
Definition of Terms
The definition of terms is written for knowledgeable peers, not people from other disciplines As such, it
is not the place to fill pages with definitions that knowledgeable peers would know at a glance.
Instead, define terms that may have more than one meaning among knowledgeable peers.
Summary
Summarize the content of Chapter 1 and preview of content of Chapter 2.

WRITING CHAPTER 2: THE LITERATURE REVIEW

Our consultants can help you review published research for relevancy to your topic suggest topics
related to the gap in the
knowledge that can be included in this chapter. Besides summarizing, your consultant can help you
critically
analyze, compare, and synthesize prior research to form a foundation for your current research.

The purpose of the review of the literature is to prove that no one has studied the gap in the
knowledge outlined in Chapter 1. The subjects in the Review of Literature should have been introduced
in the Background of the Problem in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 is not a textbook of subject matter loosely
related to the subject of the study. Every research study that is mentioned should in some way bear
upon the gap in the knowledge, and each study that is mentioned should end with the comment that
the study did not collect data about the specific gap in the knowledge of the study as outlined in
Chapter 1.
Unfortunately, some institutions have begun to require no less than 30 pages of literature review for
a dissertation, which leads to students who write a textbook summarizing general information from
the field of study, and advisors who overview this disastrous practice with righteous indignation if the
student struggles to come up with the required number of pages. This leads students to pad the
discussion with unfocused verbiage, and can result in students applying the practice of crating pages
just to create pages. This may lead student to think a dissertation is a glorified term paper. Requiring
a set number of pages is fallacious. If the gap in the knowledge is, in fact, represented by an
unbalanced or incomplete body of literature, then the review of literature might only require three
pages of material from the only relevant empirical studies.
Too many institutions in the last 10 years are allowing graduate students to parse research that has
already been done by taking an existing study and slightly altering one element, such as the
geographic location, if the study is in the social sciences. Changing the geographic location does not
represent robust, original research. Rare is a social sciences study today that encompasses a national
or international study, particularly among the online universities. Leadership studies are rarely
anything but redundant as leadership has a long, thoroughly researched history. Original research in
the sciences is harder to parse; however, a sciences study can often be piggybacked on existing
research if there are unknowns at the end of previous studies. The recommendations for future
research at the end of a dissertation are a good place to find a subject that remains to be studied.
The review should be laid out in major sections introduced by organizational generalizations. An
organizational generalization can be a subheading so long as the last sentence of the previous section
introduces the reader to what the next section will contain. The purpose of this chapter is to cite
major conclusions, findings, and methodological issues related to the gap in the knowledge from
Chapter 1. It is written for knowledgeable peers from easily retrievable sources of the most recent
issue possible.
Empirical literature published within the previous 5 years or less is reviewed to prove no mention of
the specific gap in the knowledge that is the subject of the dissertation is in the body of knowledge.
Common sense should prevail. Often, to provide a history of the research, it is necessary to cite
studies older than 5 years. The object is to acquaint the reader with existing studies relative to the
gap in the knowledge and describe who has done the work, when and where the research was
completed, and what approaches were used for the methodology, instrumentation, statistical
analyses, or all of these subjects.

If very little literature exists, the wise student will write, in effect, a several-paragraph book report by
citing the purpose of the study, the methodology, the findings, and the conclusions. If there is an
abundance of studies, cite only the most recent studies. Firmly establish the need for the
study. Defend the methods and procedures by pointing out other relevant studies that implemented
similar methodologies. It should be frequently pointed out to the reader why a particular study did not
match the exact purpose of the dissertation.
Classically, the Review of Literature should be written prior to Chapter 1 as it will ensure original
research after all possible similar studies have been investigated, but inexperienced advisors allow
students to set up all the details of Chapter 1 after only a very preliminary review of the literature. If
the student finds a large body of literature about the subject of the dissertation, the chances are high
that the subject of the dissertation has already been studied.
The Review of Literature ends with a Conclusion that clearly states that, based on the review of the
literature, the gap in the knowledge that is the subject of the study has not been studied. Remember
that a summary is different from a conclusion. A Summary, the final main section, introduces the
next chapter.

WRITING CHAPTER 3: THE METHODOLOGY

Our consultants are skilled in both quantitative and qualitative methods and can
assist students choose and defend an appropriate research design.
The purpose of the methodology chapter is to give an experienced investigator enough information to
replicate the study. Some advisors do not understand this and require students to write what is, in
effect, a textbook. A research design is used to structure the research and to show how all of the
major parts of the research project, including the sample, measures, and methods of assignment,
work together to address the central research questions in the study. The chapter should begin with a
paragraph reiterating the purpose of the study. The following subjects may or may not be in the order
required by a particular institution of higher education, but all of the subjects constitute a defensible
methodology chapter.
Appropriateness of the Research Design
This section is optional in some institutions, but required by others. Specify that the research for the
dissertation is experimental, quasi-experimental, correlational, causal-comparative, quantitative,
qualitative, mixed methods, or another design. Be specific. The designated approach should be
defended by contrasting and comparing it with alternate methods and rejecting those that do not
meet the
needs of the study. This section should not be a textbook description of various research designs, but
a
focused effort to match a rational research design with the purpose of the study.
Research Design
A qualitative study does not have variables. A scientific study has variable, which are sometimes
mentioned in Chapter 1 and defined in more depth in Chapter 3. Spell out the independent and
dependent, variables. An unfortunate trend in some institutions is to repeat the research questions
and/or hypotheses in both Chapter 1 and Chapter 3, a needless redundancy. Sometimes an
operational statement of the research hypotheses in null form is given to set the stage for later

statistical inferences. In a quantitative study, state the level of significance that will be used to accept
or reject the hypotheses.
Pilot Study
In a quantitative study, a survey instrument that is researcher designed needs a pilot study to validate
the effectiveness of the instrument, and the value of the questions to elicit the right information to
answer the primary research questions in. In a scientific study, a pilot study may precede the main
observation to correct any problems with the instrumentation or other elements in the data collection
technique. Describe the pilot study as it relates to the research design, development of the
instrument, data collection procedures, or characteristics of the sample.
Setting and Participants
In a quantitative study, describe the geographic location where the study will take place, cite
recognizable landmarks such as a nearby urban city. Describe the participant pool.
In a qualitative study, the decision regarding the number of participants in a study becomes a
reflection the studys purpose. Ten to twelve participants may prove sufficient in qualitative inquiries
involving the understanding of experiences and perceptions of participants. A successful purposeful
sample in a phenomenological study could range from 1 to 40. Sample size is based on the total
number of potential participants. The required sample size should be determined through a power
analysis. Such an analysis uses the alpha level and the population effect size (the estimated effect of
the independent variable within the target population) to estimate the number of participants needed
to demonstrate an existing effect. Typically, researchers strive for a power of .80, which refers to an
80% certainty that an existing effect will be found in the sample. The effect is the difference in
perceived effectiveness between mediums.
Instrumentation
In a qualitative study, the instrument used to collect data may be created by the researcher or based
on an existing instrument. If the instrument is researcher created, the process used to select the
questions should be described and justified. If an existing instrument is used, the background of the
instrument is described including who originated it and what measures were used to validate it. If a
Likert scale is used, the scale should be described. If the study involves interviews, an interview
protocol should be developed that will result in a consistent process of data collection across all
interviews. Two types of questions are found in an interview protocol: the primary research questions,
which are not asked of the participants, and the interview questions that are based on the primary
research questions and are asked of the participants. Instruments should be placed in an appendix,
not in the body of the text. Most qualitative studies include both a demographic survey to develop a
picture of the participants, and an interview protocol. If the instrument is researcher created, a pilot
study should be conducted to test the instrument.
In a scientific study, the instrumentation used to collect data is described in detail, which may include
an illustration of the setup.
Procedure
Fully describe how the data were collected. In a qualitative study, this is the section where most of the
appendices are itemized, starting with letters of permission to conduct the study and letters of
invitation to participate with attached consent forms. This is also the place where any study involving
human subjects must state that it is compliant with the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services Code of Federal Regulations, 45 CFR 46.102(2009). A paragraph must be inserted that
states the study is deemed to be one of minimal risk to participants and that the probability and
magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in the research will not be greater than any ordinarily

encountered in daily life, or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations
or tests. In a quantitative study, this section will detail when and how the data were collected.
Data Processing and Analysis
In both qualitative and quantitative studies, the precise method of how the data were processed and
then analyzed is described. Increasingly, in qualitative studies, data collection and analysis is
accomplished by using any one of several data collection and analysis tools available on the Internet
such as SurveyMonkey. Internet services are fast and accurate, and produce data that can be quickly
incorporated in Chapter 4.
Ethical Considerations
In a qualitative study, the procedures for the protection of human participants should be stated. This
section is nearly identical in all qualitative studies, which makes it subject to identification as
plagiarism when submitted to a mechanical plagiarism tool. Ethical concerns are important,
particularly in reference to planning, conducting, and evaluating research. The study should present
minimal risk to participants pertaining to experimental treatment or exposure to physical or
psychological harm. Care should be taken to ensure that the participants fully understood the nature
of the study and the fact that participation is voluntary. A statement should be made that
confidentiality of recovered data will be maintained at all times, and identification of participants will
not be available during or after the study.
Internal and External Validity
Validity is the criteria for how effective the design is in employing methods of measurement that will
capture the data to address the research questions. There are two types of validity: internal, and
external. Internal validity in quantitative studies refers to the studys ability to determine cause and
effect.
Internal validity is a confirmation of the correctness of the study design. Internal validity can be
assured in both qualitative and quantitative studies with pilot testing of the proposed survey
instrumentation to assure that the instrument is clear and unambiguous. Pilot testing of instruments is
a procedure to enable the researcher to make modifications to an instrument based on results.
External validityis the extent to which the results of the study can reflect similar outcomes elsewhere,
and can be generalized to other populations or situations. Regardless of whether a self-designed or
validated instrument is used to collect data, or whether it is a qualitative or quantitative study, how
validity will be assured must be stated. How the study is conducted and reported is illustrative of the
validity and reliability and should align with the theoretical framework in Chapter 1. Triangulation of
the results enhances the validity of findings. Triangulation validates the methodology by an
examination of the results from several perspectives
Summary
Summarize the research design and prepare the reader for the next chapter.

WRITING CHAPTER 4: THE RESULTS

OF YOUR RESEARCH STUDY
Our consultants can provide the organization necessary to provide readers with a coherent flow of
information.
The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the collected data and the statistical treatment, and/or
mechanics, of analysis. The first paragraph should briefly restate the problem, taken from Chapter 1.
Explain the object of each experiment, question, or objective, point out salient results, and present
those results by table, figure, or other form of summarized data. Select tables and figures carefully.
Some studies are easier to defend if all the raw data is in this chapter; some are better if the bulk of
the raw data is in an appendix.
In a quantitative study, the results usually begin with a description of the sample (e.g., sample size,
description of participants who were excluded and why, handling of missing data). Next, descriptive
statistics (e.g., frequencies/percentages for categorical variables, means, standard deviations, and
ranges for continuously measured variables) are presented. Normality of continuously measured
variables is usually presented. Address each hypothesis in turn, presenting a description of the
analysis that was computed to address each hypothesis and the results of that analysis. State whether
the null hypothesis was rejected.
Do not repeat in tedious prose what it is obvious for a knowledgeable peer to see at a glance. The
dissertation advisor usually has an opinion about the level of detail needed in this chapter. Table titles
and figure captions should be understandable without reading the chapter text. Note all relevant
results, even those that were contrary to the alternative hypotheses, or those that tend to distract
from clear determinations.
Make statements of the results without any implication, speculation, assessment, evaluation, or
interpretation. Sometimes the results and discussion are combined into one chapter, but in general,
keep the results, and the conclusions and discussion separate.
In a qualitative study, the results often include many quotes from participants who were interviewed.

RITING CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION AND

RECOMMENDATIONS
Our consultants can assist students to find the meaning of the information they have
collected and to present it in a manner than can be defended.
Open this chapter by reminding the reader of the purpose of the study.
Methods and Procedures: Summarize the approach.
Major Findings
Summarize the Chapter 4: Results.
Discussion

Refer to the hypotheses, objectives, or questions. Assess the meaning of the results by evaluating and
interpreting. Speculation should be reasonable, firmly justified, and subject to test. This is the hardest
part to write because committees may challenge the interpretation of the data in the Defense. List
the primary research questions from Chapter 1 and answer them with the results. Cite several studies
from Chapter 2 for comparison and contrast with the results.
Conclusions
The conclusions relate directly to the research questions or objectives. They represent the contribution
to the knowledge. They also relate directly to the significance of the study, which is always, in some
way, to improve the human condition. These are the major generalizations, the answer to the
problem(s) revealed in Chapters 1 and 2. For the first time in the dissertation, the researcher can
state a personal opinion when the collected data support it.
Recommendations
These can take two forms: recommendations for further study, or recommendations for change, or
both. Each recommendation should trace directly to a conclusion.
References
These will follow the specific format of an individual style guide, such as APA, Chicago, or other. Every
name and year in the body of the text should be repeated in the list of references with no exceptions.
Appendices
In a qualitative or quantitative, if the study involves an organization, a letter of permission to conduct
the study is required from the appropriate administrator at the organization. In a qualitative study, a
letter of invitation and consent form from all adult participants is included, and a letter of permission
from parents if minors are involved. Data collection instruments are included. Some institutions
require a vita at the end.
Source: Barbara von Diether, EdD

:http://dissertationwriting.com