Week 1 - Assignment

Proposal Of Paper

Earning a master's degree suggests the candidate has a broad understanding of the literature for a particular subject that has originated from the courses in the program. The proposal for your research project is a 700-word paper that briefly describes a specific area of interest that has developed from your courses and that you will now expand upon. The proposal includes the areas of curiosity, research questions, research hypotheses, data sources, and methodology.

1. Begin your proposal with a direct statement of your area of interest and include a research question that will drive the topic of your paper. Make sure your research question is specific and can be addressed through existing information. (about one paragraph)

2. Next, provide background information about your topic. Why is this topic important to you? (about one paragraph)

3. Discuss your proposed methodology. What kind of data will you collect and how will it be analyzed? (another paragraph or two)

4. At the end of the paper, include a bibliography of 25 appropriate references that demonstrate you have begun researching your topic.

Key points to remember about your research paper is that it is not an opinion piece. The paper is to be written using an academic, neutral, unbiased voice. In addition, it should not be a program assessment or a consultant's report trying to solve a problem.

You should recieve your instructor feedback by Day 3 of next week so you can incorporate it in with your peer reviewed material. This is going to be a fast-paced course; therefore, begin writing your Introduction section after you have written your proposal. The Introduction will be due Week Two.

When you look up “research” in the dictionary ( Merriam-Webster’s version ), you get the following three definitions:

1. Careful or diligent search

2. Studious inquiry or examination; especially: investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery and interpretation of facts, revision of accepted theories of laws in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories or laws

3. The collecting of information about a particular subject

For our purposes all three of those definitions apply to what we’re talking about. Sociological (or any social science) research is a careful diligent search, a studious inquiry or examination aimed at collecting information about a particular subject. However, in our case—research is focused on the systematic analysis of a particular issue guided by the standards and criteria of scientific inquiry. In this way, research conducted for scientific purposes is different than research you do when you are looking to purchase your next washer/dryer set. 

Research Methods/Approaches

In sociological research there are three major research methods: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Here are some reminders about the differences between quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research:

Quantitative Research: Quantitative research methods are defined as emphasizing “objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques. Quantitative research focuses on gathering numerical data and generalizing it across groups of people or to explain a particular phenomenon” (Babbie, 2010).

Typical methods employed in quantitative research:

· Surveys, Questionnaires, Polls

· Experimental Designs

· Content Analysis (with a quantitative focus)

Qualitative Research: Qualitative research methods emphasize the “qualities of entities and [focus] on processes and meanings that are not experimentally examined or measured [if measured at all] in terms of quantity, amount, intensity, or frequency. Qualitative researchers stress the socially constructed nature of reality, the intimate relationship between the researcher and what is studied, and the situational constraints that shape inquiry. Such researchers emphasize the value-laden nature of inquiry” (Denzin, 2000).

Typical methods employed in qualitative research:

· Interviews

· Focus Groups

· Ethnography

· Case Studies

· Phenomenology

· Narrative Analysis

· Life History

· Content Analysis (qualitative)

Mixed Methods: Mixed methods research integrates both quantitative and qualitative research in a single study. Using each method for its strengths in understanding a single social problem or area of study.

How Do I Identify a Research Problem or Question?

There are several ways that Sociologists identify research topics, problems, or questions to pursue—it is important to be open to any possibility; you never know what might come to you! Sometimes researchers find a research area based on a “hole” in the current scientific literature—finding something that has never been studied, is understudied, or something that they have a strong critique of in the literature.

Researchers may also land on their research because of a personal interest or connection. As a military spouse, I had a growing interest in studying military spouses and families during college. Once in graduate school I was interested in studying the lives of wounded veterans (for my dissertation research) because of my personal connection to the military (as a military spouse) and my understanding of living with a family member who has a disability (my father has a non-military related traumatic brain injury).

Another way researchers may come to a research question is through current events. How can we understand the relationship between American culture, laws, and values with the current levels of gun violence, particularly mass shootings?

As you are thinking about your capstone paper proposal this week, it is important to stay open—you never know when a research problem, question or idea may come to you! Don’t second guess yourself—always keep your research ideas alive. You should thoroughly explore an idea before deciding it’s not a good one! 

Conducting an Initial Search for Relevant Literature

Your first discussion board posting requires you to list your initial working draft of your references list for your capstone paper. Typically when I’m researching a new topic (that I don’t know much about), I start with Google Scholar:  https://scholar.google.com/

Here’s a link to the Sociology/Social Science databases in the Ashford Library to help get your started on your search:  https://library.ashford.edu/databases_subject.aspx#Sociology

I personally recommend ESBSCOhost, JSTOR, and Project MUSE.

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Resources

Recommended References

Byrne, D. (2017).  Reviewing the literature . Project Planner. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526408518

Thomas, D. R., & Hodges, I. D. (2010).  Doing a literature review . In Thomas, D. R., & Hodges, I. D., Designing and managing your research project: Core skills for social and health research (pp. 105-130). https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446289044

Walliman, N. (2006).  Writing a literature review . In Walliman, N., Sage Course companions: Social research methods (pp. 182-185). https://doi.org/10.4135/9781849209939

Wentz, E. (2014).  The literature review . In Wentz, E., How to design, write, and present a successful dissertation proposal (pp. 81-95). https://doi.org/10.4135/9781506374710

Young, E., & Quinn, L. (2017).  An essential guide to writing policy briefs (Links to an external site.) . Retrieved from https://www.icpolicyadvocacy.org/sites/icpa/files/downloads/icpa_policy_briefs_essential_guide.pdf

Assignment 1 – FAQ Use this page to help write your first assignment.

Assignment 1

Understanding the research process is critical in communication. This assignment will allow you to show your research ability, topic and research understanding, and persuasive aptitude. You may complete this assignment on your own or with one other student from the class. If you wish to work with another student, it is up to you to pair up as your instructor will not determine with whom you work.

There are two parts to this assignment: the research process itself and the written understanding of the research.

This assignment is designed to help you understand how to find research that is specific to your topic and is persuasive (along with informative) in content.

Part 1 – Topic Identification / Audience Analysis

This part is about identifying a topic and considering the audience; it consists of two steps.

First Step: Choose a topic from the list below. If you don’t see a topic which interests you, you are welcome to suggest an alternative topic to your instructor for approval. Your goal is to persuade your audience to do one of the following.

· To implement an unlimited vacation policy

· To implement an employee volunteer program

· To devote XX hours per month on charitable work with XX agency

· To offer an education-reimbursement program

· To install a green roof on their building

· To become a certified B Corp

· To begin a social media program using XX social media tools

· To drive enrollment in a retirement plan

· To join a specific union

· To increase vaccination against a specific disease in a specific population

· To conserve water (or other energy type)

· To generate private investment in a particular business sector

· To implement an employee sabbatical program

· To implement all-user restrooms in their facility

· To implement a paid-parental leave policy

· To boycott (or support) a specific product or products that support a particular agenda

· To implement a telecommuting policy

· To encourage participation in an employee giving campaign

Next: Identify the following three items.

1. Who is your audience? Who are you persuading in your assignment? (This must be a business, government agency, or non-profit entity.) Identify the actual decision makers from your audience, by name and title. This cannot be a fictitious audience, it must be existing and researchable.

2. Who are you representing? To be able to persuade you have to be representing a known entity (business, government agency, or non-profit entity).

3. What specifically are you persuading them to do? What do you want the audience to do when you have successfully presented your argument? What is the audience’s next step if and when they are persuaded?

Once you have completed these two steps, you are prepared to complete the written assignment.  Additional assignment details are on D2L.

To verify these articles are from peer-reviewed journals, please verify using Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory. Ulrich’s’ can be found online through the PSU Library. Go to www.pdx.edu, click on “Library”, click on “Databases & Articles”, and then click on “U” in the alphabet presented to get to Ulrich’s’. To verify the journal is peer-reviewed, type the name of the journal in the search bar and hit enter. When the journal comes up, if there is a striped referee shirt to the left of the journal listing, then the journal is peer-reviewed. If there is no striped referee shirt, then the journal is NOT peer-reviewed.

Part 3 -  Written Understanding / Persuasive Discussion

Annotated Bibliography

Once you have found the 6 articles (with at least 3 peer-reviewed) your job is to read all the articles and understand the content well enough to write an annotated bibliography. Information on how to write and produce an annotated bibliography will be given in a separate document and discussed in class. This annotated bibliography will be 2-3 pages in length and will be typed single space, using 11 point Times New Roman font.

A copy or “picture” of the journal showing that it is peer-reviewed (as shown in Ulrich’s) is required to be pasted under each annotated bibliography that is from a peer-reviewed journal. This can be done by using the “CTRL” “PrtScn” command on your computer (hold Ctrl down and tap PrtScn) and then copying that picture into Paint (or another similar software). Then cut the picture so only the one journal is shown on the page. Insert that picture into your Word document at the end of the annotated bibliography from that journal.

An example of what this will look like in your paper is below.

Persuasive Memo

This is the final part of the assignment. You have a strong understanding of the persuasive goal, you have found research to help persuade your audience, and now it is time to prove you have the necessary information and persuasive research to successfully persuade your audience. Instead of writing a formal report to your audience you will write a 1-2 page memo to your instructor outlining the following.

· HOW do you plan to use the research to persuade your audience?

· WHY will you be successful in your persuasion?

· WHAT parts will you use from each article to prove your points?

The goal of this memo is to outline your research, ideas and motives to show you can successfully persuade your audience. Please make sure to write a strong memo outlining the necessary information needed to persuade your audience. You can refer to the annotated bibliography in the memo as well.

You will turn the assignment in with the memo first and the annotated bibliography second.

Early assignments are gladly accepted.  :-)

Assignment 2 - PowerPoint Slide Deck for your Individual Term Research Assignment

This assignment will be different for each student as it is tied directly to your Term Research Assignment.

If you are working with another student in the class on the Term Research Assignment please remember Assignment 4 is an INDIVIDUAL assignment and each student will create the slide deck on their own.

Assignment Requirements and Details

1. This is to be completed individually and is tied directly to your Term Research Assignment.

2. There must be a minimum of 6 slides in the slide deck.

a. The first slide must be an introductory slide that identifies the audience, yourself, and who you are representing (create a strong slide to start your presentation).

b. The next 5 slides must be information/persuasion slides – your choice of what to include but they should flow together. Think about how you can persuade your audience – what content is needed?

c. Include a work cited slide if you use information other than your own knowledge in the slides (this would be slide 7+).

3. The goal of this assignment is to think about how you would present this information to your audience orally. No new information is required for this presentation – but how you present it may be different than how you wrote it, or presented it, in the Term Research Assignment.

4. You do not have to provide a complete presentation – your goal is to show me your skills using PowerPoint and your skills in organizing your information for a presentation.

5. The slide layout and information presented on each slide will be graded (use what you learned with SIMNet). Professionalism is important for this assignment.

a. Don’t include too much information on each slide – the goal is to guide the reader, not provide all information for the reader.

b. Decide on the best layout for the information. In other words, should you include a graph, picture, or other item to guide the reader?

c. What does the audience know and what do they need to know about the topic? Use this to guide your assignment creation.

d. Additional slides (more than 6) may help your thinking process and your grade.

Assignment 3

Persuasive Memo This is the final part of the assignment. You have a strong understanding of the persuasive goal, you have found research to help persuade your audience, and now it is time to prove you have the necessary information and persuasive research to successfully persuade your audience. Instead of writing a formal report to your audience you will write a 1-2 page memo to your instructor outlining the following.

· WHO is your audience and what do they need to be persuaded?

· HOW do you plan to use the research to persuade your audience?

· WHY will you be successful in your persuasion?

· WHAT parts will you use from each article to prove your points?

The goal of this memo is to outline your research, ideas and motives to show you can successfully persuade your audience. Please make sure to write a strong memo outlining the necessary information needed to persuade your audience. You can refer to the annotated bibliography in the memo as well.

Keep in mind this is NOT a formal paper, but a chance to show me (your boss) you are ready to persuade your audience and you have the information and facts to back up your persuasion. Also that you have prepared the persuasion for your specific audience.

You will turn the completed assignment in with the memo first (in the Word file) and the annotated bibliography second (in the same Word file).