Part 1
 
For this assignment, you will turn your attention to the Problem Statement and Research Method Choice Alignment sections of the Research Prospectus Template. As you begin to think about your research topic, you must consider how it is related to your degree program (e.g., DM, DCS) and your concentration area. In addition, it is necessary to reflect upon the problem you plan to study and through this process of reflection to develop a justification of how your choice of research method is appropriate for addressing the study problem you have chosen.
Locate the Problem Statement section of the Research Prospectus, and draft 1 paragraph of no more than 250–300 words that addresses the following:

• Describe the study problem you will focus on for your dissertation project.
• The problem must be both practice-based and scholarship-supported, and therefore needs to consider both practice and recent research.
• Cite theoretical, conceptual, and empirical peer-reviewed literature to support the relevance of your proposed study problem.

Remember this is the first draft of your study problem and you will continue to refine this problem until your Dissertation Proposal has been approved.
Note: Throughout this course you will submit all of your Individual Project assignments in your Research Prospectus Template as a working draft. As the course proceeds through all sections of the Research Prospectus, it will provide an ongoing opportunity to refine each section based on instructor feedback.
Part 2
For this assignment, you will compose a draft of the Study Purpose and Research Question sections of your Research Prospectus.

• Study Purpose section: Begin with “The purpose of the [method choice] [research approach/design] study is to….” Following this, provide a brief rationale for your method choice. Next, specify your research site, target population, sampling method, proposed sample size, data collection method, and the data analysis software you plan to use. Finally, briefly articulate what you expect to be the contribution of study findings to both professional practice and scholarship in your field/concentration.
• Research Question section: State the single overarching research question that will guide your study. (Note: For a quantitative or mixed methods study, you will also complete the Hypothesis(es) section; delete this section if you are planning a qualitative study.)
• Ensure that you are able to demonstrate a clear alignment of your “trio”—the problem statement, study purpose, and research question.
• Look ahead to the Research Method Rationale section, and provide an early draft of this section in your submission that matches the research method and research design choice included in your purpose sentence.

Note: Throughout this course, you will submit all of your Individual Project assignments in your Research Prospectus Template as a working draft. As the course proceeds through all sections of the Research Prospectus, it will provide an ongoing opportunity to refine each section based on instructor feedback.
Part 3
 
For this assignment, you will compose a draft of your Review of the Literature Plan section of the Research Prospectus. The Research Prospectus Template provides guidance to help you through this process. Remember: Your deliverable for this assignment is NOT a literature review; rather, it is a literature review plan for what specific types of literature you will explore for your study and what rationale guides you in this process to ensure your plan is solid and appropriate for your chosen study topic.
Note: Throughout this course, you will submit all of your Individual Project assignments in your Research Prospectus Template as a working draft. As the course proceeds through all sections of the Research Prospectus, it will provide an ongoing opportunity to refine each section based on instructor feedback.
Part 4
 
The version of your Research Prospectus that you submit for this assignment is your first, full draft of the document and will culminate in a final polished Research Prospectus submission for Unit 6. You will receive feedback on this draft from your instructor and incorporate that feedback in a second, final version of the Research Prospectus to be submitted for the Unit 6 Individual Project. Your Research Prospectus will be a narrative that details the major components of your proposed research, developed at a relatively early stage of your doctoral program. The Prospectus guides your preparation of the full-blown Research Proposal, and will serve as a roadmap for continued refinement of your thinking as you progress into your second year of the doctoral program. A quality Research Prospectus is a milestone deliverable for this course and your dissertation journey. See the research course milestones in the Doctoral Resource Center.
As you complete the full draft, be sure to revisit the Research Method Rationale and provide a full justification for your research method choice and research design/approach that is aligned with your study problem. Consider revisiting your qualitative and quantitative course work where you may have begun a draft of this section and finalize your decisions. Be sure to cite the relevant and specific scholarly research guides aligned with your method and design choices. Please avoid general research texts such as Creswell, and instead choose specific guides that are well-aligned with your research approach.
The Prospectus should be 8–10 pages, not including title and reference pages, and formatted in APA. The title page should include a working title of no more than 12 words for your dissertation.
In the body of the Prospectus, DO include headings for each section. You will use the Research Prospectus Template to complete the document. Remember to delete the rubric that is attached at the end of the template. You will also find the Prospectus Template in the Doctoral Resource Center.
The final Research Prospectus must be formatted per the template requirements as well as accurate APA.