DPI Proposal Chapter 1

DPI Proposal Chapter 1

DPI Proposal Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of the DPI Project is entitled “Introduction to the Project” and includes background and other essential information regarding the overall DPI Project design and components.

General Requirements:

Use the following information to ensure successful completion of the assignment:

• Locate the “DPI Proposal Template” located in the PI Workspace of the DC Network.
• Access The Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials: A New Model for Advanced Practice Nursingtextbook from DNP-801. The direct link is: http://gcumedia.com/digital-resources/jones-and-bartlett/2013/the-doctor-of-nursing-practice-essentials_ebook_2e.php
• You may also find it helpful to access the The Doctor of Nursing Practice Essentials: A New Model for Advanced Practice Nursing textbook from DNP-801, which you have been using throughout the program. Chapter 10 of this textbook provides an excellent template for a DNP-focused scholarly project.
• Doctoral learners are required to use APA style for their writing assignments. The APA Style Guide is located in the Student Success Center.
• This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.
• You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

Directions:

Use the “DPI Proposal Template” to help you develop a draft of the Introduction (Chapter 1) of your DPI Project Proposal. Keep in mind this is an outline and formatting structure; it may be of use to you, but recall that each project will vary in nature and scope, so adaptations to this format may be required.

Sections in Chapter 1 include:

1. Introduction
2. Background of the Project
3. Problem Statement
4. Purpose of the Project
5. Clinical Question(s)
6. Advancing Scientific Knowledge
7. Significance of the Project
8. Rationale for Methodology
9. Nature of the Project Design
10. Definition of Terms
11. Assumptions, Limitations, Delimitations
12. Summary and Organization of the Remainder of the Project

Much of this information can be gleaned from your DPI Prospectus, but you will find that new as well as expanded content in specific areas will be required, depending on the nature of your proposed DPI Project.

The Direct Practice Improvement Project Proposal Title Appears in Title Case and is Centered

Submitted by

Insert Your Full Legal Name (No Titles, Degrees, or Academic Credentials)

Equal Spacing

~2.0” – 2.5”

Direct Practice Improvement Project Proposal

Doctorate of Nursing Practice

Equal Spacing

~2.0” – 2.5”

Grand Canyon University

Phoenix, Arizona

December 31, 2014

List of Tables

Table 1. Correct Formatting…………………………………………………………………………………

(Note: single-space table titles; double-space between entries)

List of Figures

Figure 1. Graphic of Teacher Years of Experience ………………………………………………..

(Note: single-space figure titles; double-space between entries)

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Project

Introduction

The Introduction section of Chapter 1 briefly overviews the project focus or practice problem, states why the project is worth conducting and describes how the project will be completed. The introduction develops the significance of the project by describing how the project is new or different from other studies, how it addresses something that is not already known or has not been studied before, or how it extends prior research on the topic in some way. This section should also briefly describe the basic nature of the project, and provide an overview of the contents of Chapter 1. This section should be 3 to 4 paragraphs, or approximately 1 page, in length.

Keep in mind that you will write Chapters 1 through 3 as your practice improvement project proposal. However, there are changes that typically need to be made in these chapters to enrich the content or to improve the readability as you write the final practice improvement project manuscript. Often, after data analysis is complete, the first three chapters will need revisions to reflect a more in-depth understanding of the topic, change the tense to past tense, and ensure consistency.

To ensure the quality of both your proposal and your final practice improvement project and reduce the time for AQR reviews, your writing needs to reflect standards of scholarly writing from your very first draft. Each section within the Proposal or Practice improvement project should be well organized and easy for the reader to follow your logic. Each paragraph should be short, clear, and focused. A paragraph should (1) be 3 to 8 sentences in length, (2) focus on one point, topic, or argument, (3) include a topic sentence the defines the focus for the paragraph, and (4) include a transition sentence to the next paragraph. Include one space after each period. There should be no grammatical, punctuation, sentence structure, or APA formatting errors. Verb tense is an important consideration for Chapters 1 through 3. For the proposal, the investigator uses present tense (e.g. “The purpose of this project is to…”); whereas in the practice improvement project, the chapters are revised to reflect past tense (e.g. “The purpose of this project was to…”). Taking the time to put quality into each draft will save you time in all the steps of the development and review phases of the practice improvement project process. Do it right the first time!

As a doctoral investigator, it is your responsibility to ensure the clarity, quality, and correctness of your writing and APA formatting. The DC Network provides various resources to help you improve your writing. Neither your Chairperson, nor your Committee Members, will provide editing of your documents, nor will the AQR Reviewers provide editing of your documents. If you do not have outstanding writing skills, you will need to identify a writing coach, editor and/or other resource to help you with your writing and to edit your documents.

The quality of a practice improvement project is not only defined by the quality of writing. It is also defined by the criteria that have been established for each section of the practice improvement project. The criteria describe what must be addressed in each section within each chapter. As you develop a section, first read the section description. Then review the criteria contained in the table below the description. Use both the description and criteria as you write the section. It is important that the criteria are addressed in a way that it is clear to your Chairperson, Committee, and an external reviewer to illustrate that the criteria have been met. You should be able to point out where each criterion is met in each section. Prior to submitting a draft of your Proposal or Practice improvement project, or a single Chapter to your Chairperson, please assess yourself on the degree to which criteria has been met. There is a table at the end of each section for you to complete this self-assessment. Your Chairperson will also assess each criterion when they return the document with feedback. The following scores reflect the readiness of the document:

• 3 = The criterion has been completely met. It is comprehensive and accurate. The section meeting the criterion is comprehensive and clear. The criterion information is very well written. The section addressing a criterion is located in a single spot; it is not distributed across various paragraphs. The criterion is immediately obvious to an external reviewer. In terms of writing, the section is perfect and ready to go into a journal article.
• 2 = The criterion is very close to being completely met. The section meeting the criterion is comprehensive, but may need to be further clarified. The criterion information is fairly well written, but may need minor editing. The section addressing a criterion is located in a single spot; it is not distributed across various paragraphs. It may not be totally obvious to an external reader and require some clarification. In terms of writing it is near perfect, but may need minor edits for clarity or APA formatting.
• 1 = The criterion is present, but the section needs significant work to have it completely meet expectations. The section meeting the criterion is not comprehensive and may need to be further clarified. The criterion information is fairly well written, but may need minor editing. The section addressing a criterion is not clearly located in a single spot; it appears to be distributed across various paragraphs. It may not be totally obvious to an external reader and require some clarification. It needs some changes to its structure, its flow, paragraph structure, sentence structure, punctuation, and APA format.

• 0 = The criterion is not addressed because it is missing or is not appropriate.

Once the document has been approved by your Chairperson and your committee and is ready to submit for AQR review, please remove all of these assessment tables from this document.

The background section of Chapter 1 explains both the history of and the present state of the problem and research focus. This section summarizes the Background section from Chapter 2 and is 2-3 paragraphs in length.

This section of the proposal is 2-3 paragraphs long. It clearly states the problem or project focus, the population affected, and how the project will contribute to solving the problem. This section of Chapter 1 should be comprehensive yet simple, providing context for the practice project.

A well-written problem statement begins with the big picture of the issue (macro) and works to the small, narrower and more specific problem (micro). It clearly communicates the significance, magnitude, and importance of the problem and transitions into the Purpose of the Project with a declarative statement such as “It is not known if and to what degree/extent…” or “It is not known how/why and…”.

Other examples are:

• It is not known_____.
• Absent from the literature ______.
• While the literature indicates ____________, it is not known in _________. (school/district/organization/community) if __________.
• It is not known how or to what extent ________________.

As you are writing this section, make sure your research problem passes the ROC test – Researchable, Original, and Contributory!

Purpose of the Project

The Purpose of the Project section of Chapter 1 should be 2-3 paragraphs long and provides a reflection of the problem statement and identifies how the project will be accomplished. It explains how the proposed project will contribute to the field. The section begins with a declarative statement, “The purpose of this project is….” Included in this statement are also the research design, population, variables (quantitative) or phenomena (qualitative) to be studied, and the geographic location. Further, the section clearly defines the dependent and independent variables, relationship of variables, or comparison of groups for quantitative studies. For qualitative studies, this section describes the nature of the phenomena to be explored. Keep in mind that the purpose of the project is restated in other chapters of the practice improvement project and should be worded exactly as presented in this section of Chapter 1.

Creswell (2003) provided some sample templates for developing purpose statements aligned with the different project methods (qualitative/quantitative/mixed method) as follows:

The purpose of this qualitative ______________ (case project, ethnography) is to _________ (understand, describe, explore, develop) the ____________________ (phenomenon being studied) for _______ (participants) at ________________ (research site/geographical location). At this stage in the project, the __________________ (central phenomenon being studied) will generally be defined as ___________ (provide a general definition).

The purpose of this quantitative ___________ (correlational, descriptive, etc.) project is to ____________ (compare or see to what degree a relationship exists) between/among ______________________ (independent variable) to ___________________ (dependent variable) for ________________ (participants) at ___________________ (research site/geographical location). The ________ (independent variable) will be defined/measured as/by _______ (provide a general definition). The                                    (dependent variable) will be defined/measured as/by ______ (provide a general definition).

The purpose of this mixed methods project will be to explore participant views with the intent of using this information to develop and test an instrument with a sample from a population. The first phase will be a qualitative exploration of _______________ (central phenomenon) by collecting _____ (data) from _____ (participants) at __________ (geographical location/research site). The second phase will use a quantitative project method. Themes from this qualitative data will be developed into an instrument (or a(n) ______ instrument will be used) to (relate, compare) ________ (the independent variable) with _________ (dependent variable) for _________ (sample of population) at __________ (geographical research site).

 Clinical Question(s)

This section should be 2-3 paragraphs in length, narrows the focus of the project and specifies the clinical questions to address the problem statement. Based on the clinical questions, it describes the variables or groups and their hypothesized relationship for a quantitative project or the phenomena under investigation for a qualitative project. The clinical questions should be derived from, and are directly aligned with, the problem and purpose statements, methods, and data analyses. The Clinical Questions section of Chapter 1 will be presented again in Chapter 3 to provide clear continuity for the reader and to help frame your data analysis in Chapter 4.

If the project is qualitative, state the clinical question(s) the project will answer, and describe the phenomenon to be studied. Qualitative studies will typically have one overarching clinical question with three or more sub-questions. If the project is quantitative or mixed method, state the clinical questions the project will answer, identify the variables, and state the hypotheses (predictive statements) using the format appropriate for the specific design. Quantitative studies will typically have three or four clinical questions; mixed method studies can use both depending on the design. Use PICO format.

            In a paragraph prior to listing the clinical questions, include a discussion of the clinical questions, relating them to the problem statement. Then, include a leading phrase to introduce the questions such as: The following clinical questions guide this qualitative project:

Q1:

Q2:

Q3:

Advancing Scientific Knowledge

The Advancing Scientific Knowledge section should be 2-3 paragraphs in length, and specifically describes how the proposed research will advance population health outcomes on the topic. This advancement can be a small step forward in a line of current research, but it must add to the current body of knowledge in the literature in the learner’s program of project. This section also identifies the “gap” or “need” based on the current literature and discusses how the project will address that “gap” or “need”. This section summarizes the Theoretical Foundations section from Chapter 2 by identifying the theory or model upon which the project is built. It also describes how the project will advance that theory or model.

Significance of the Project

This section identifies and describes the significance of the project. It also discusses the implications of the potential results based on the research questions and problem statement, hypotheses, or the investigated phenomena. Further, it describes how the research fits within and will contribute to the current literature or body of research. Finally, it describes the potential practical applications from the research. This section should be 3-4 paragraphs long and is of particular importance because it justifies the need for, and the relevance of, the project.

Rationale for Methodology

The Rationale for Methodology section of Chapter 1 clearly justifies the methodology the investigator plans to use for conducting the project. It argues how the methodological framework is the best approach to answer the research questions and address the problem statement. Finally, it contains citations from textbooks and articles on research methodology and/or articles on related studies.

For qualitative designs, this section states the research question(s) the project will answer and describes the phenomenon to be studied. For quantitative designs, this section describes the clinical questions the project will answer, identifies the variables, and states the hypotheses (predictive statements) using the format appropriate for the specific design. Finally, this section includes a discussion of the clinical questions, relating them to the problem statement. This section should be 2-3 paragraphs long and illustrates how the methodological framework is aligned with the problem statement and purpose of the project, providing additional context for the project.

Nature of the Project Design

This section describes the specific project design to answer the clinical questions and why this approach was selected. Here, the learner discusses why the selected design is the best design to address the problem statement and clinical questions as compared to other designs. This section also contains a description of the project sample being studied, as well as the process that will be used to collect the data on the sample. In other words, this section provides a preview of Chapter 3: Methodology and succinctly conveys the project approach to answer clinical questions and/or test the hypotheses.

 Definition of Terms

The Definition of Terms section of Chapter 1 defines the project constructs and provides a common understanding of the technical terms, exclusive jargon, variables, phenomena, concepts, and sundry terminology used within the scope of the project. Terms are defined in lay terms and in the context in which they are used within the project. Each definition may be a few sentences to a paragraph in length. This section includes any words that may be unknown to a lay person (words with unusual or ambiguous meanings or technical terms) from the research or literature. It provides a rationale for each assumption, defines the variables for a quantitative project, or the phenomena for a qualitative project from the research or literature.

Definitions must be supported with citations from scholarly sources. Do not use Wikipedia to define terms. This popular “open source” online encyclopedia can be helpful and interesting for the layperson, but it is not appropriate for formal academic research and writing. Additionally, do not use dictionaries to define terms. A paragraph introducing this section prior to listing the definition of terms can be inserted. However, a lead in phrase is needed to introduce the terms such as: The following terms were used operationally in this project. This is also a good place to “operationally define” unique phrases specific to this research. See below for the correct format:

Term. Write the definition of the word. This is considered a Level 3 heading. Make sure the definition is properly cited (Author, 2010, p.123).

Terms often use abbreviations. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), abbreviations are best used only when they allow for clear communication with the audience. Standard abbreviations, such as units of measurement and names of states, do not need to be written out. APA also allows abbreviations that appear as words in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (2005) to be used without explanation [4.22-4.30].

Do not use periods or spaces in abbreviations of all capital letters unless the abbreviation is a proper name or refers to participants using identity-concealing labels. The exception to this rule is that a period is used when abbreviating the United States as an adjective. Use a period if the abbreviation is a Latin abbreviation or a reference abbreviation [4.02]. Use standard newspaper practice when presenting AM and PM times, as in 7:30 PM or 6:00 AM.

Do not use periods with abbreviated measurements, (e.g., cd, ft, lb, mi, and min). The exception to this rule is to use a period when abbreviated inch (in.) to avoid confusion with the word “in”. Units of measurement and statistical abbreviations should only be abbreviated when accompanied by numerical values, e.g., 7 mg, 12 mi, M = 7.5 measured in milligrams, several miles after the exit, the means were determined [4.27].

Only certain units of time should be abbreviated. Do abbreviate hr, min, ms, ns, s. However, do not abbreviate day, week, month, and year [4.27]. To form the plural of abbreviations, add “s” alone without apostrophe or italicization (e.g., vols, IQs, Eds). The exception to this rule is not to add “s” to pluralize units of measurement (12 m not 12 ms) [4.29].

Assumptions, Limitations, Delimitations

This section identifies the assumptions and specifies the limitations, as well as the delimitations, of the project. It should be 3-4 paragraphs in length. An assumption is a self-evident truth. This section should list what is assumed to be true about the information gathered in the project. State the assumptions being accepted for the project as methodological, theoretical, or topic-specific. For each assumption listed, you must also provide an explanation. Provide a rationale for each assumption, incorporating multiple perspectives, when appropriate. For example, the following assumptions were present in this project:

1. It is assumed that survey participants in this project were not deceptive with their answers, and that the participants answered questions honestly and to the best of their ability. Provide an explanation to support this assumption.
2. It is assumed that this project is an accurate representation of the current situation in rural southern Arizona. Provide an explanation to support this assumption.

Limitations are things that the investigator has no control over, such as bias. Delimitations are things over which the investigator has control, such as location of the project. Identify the limitations and delimitations of the project design. Discuss the potential generalizability of the project findings based on these limitations. For each limitation and/or delimitation listed, make sure to provide an associated explanation. For example: The following limitations/delimitations were present in this project:

1. Lack of funding limited the scope of this project. Provide an explanation to support this limitation.
2. The survey of high school students was delimited to only rural schools in one county within southern Arizona, limiting the demographic sample. Provide an explanation to support this delimitation.

Summary and Organization of the Remainder of the Project

This section summarizes the key points of Chapter 1 and provides supporting citations for those key points. It then provides a transition discussion to Chapter 2 followed by a description of the remaining chapters. For example, Chapter 2 will present a review of current research on the centrality of the practice improvement project literature review in research preparation. Chapter 3 will describe the methodology, research design, and procedures for this investigation. Chapter 4 details how the data was analyzed and provides both a written and graphic summary of the results. Chapter 5 is an interpretation and discussion of the results, as it relates to the existing body of research related to the practice improvement project topic.

For the proposal, this section should also provide a timeline for completing the research and writing up the practice improvement project. When the practice improvement project is complete, this section should be revised to eliminate the timeline

Chapter 2: Literature Review

Introduction to the Chapter and Background to the Problem

This chapter presents the theoretical framework for the project and develops the topic, specific practice problem, question(s) and design elements. In order to perform significant practice improvement project research, the learner must first understand the literature related to the research focus. A well-articulated, thorough literature review provides the foundation for substantial, contributory research. The purpose of Chapter 2 is to develop a well-documented argument for the selection of the project topic, formulate the clinical questions, and justify the choice of methodology as introduced in Chapter 1. A literature review is a synthesis of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and investigators. It is not an expanded annotated bibliography or a summary of research articles related to your topic.

The literature review will place the research focus into context by analyzing and discussing the existing body of knowledge and effectively telling the reader everything that is known, or everything that has been discovered in research about that focus, and where the gaps and tensions in the research exist. As a piece of writing, the literature review must convey to the reader what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and build an argument in support of the practice problem.

This section describes the overall topic to be investigated, outlines the approach taken for the literature review, and the evolution of the problem based on the evidence to cover the “gap” or “need” to improve population health outcomes. Make sure the Introduction and Background section of your literature review addresses the following required components:

• Introduction: States the overall purpose of the project.
• Introduction: Provides an orienting paragraph so the reader knows what the literature review will address.
• Introduction: Describes how the chapter will be organized (including the specific sections and subsections).
• Introduction: Describes how the literature was surveyed, so the reader can evaluate the thoroughness of the review.
• Background: Provides a historical overview of the problem based on the “gap” or “need” defined in the literature and how it originated. This section must contain empirical citations. Present strong evidence for the intervention.
• Background: Discusses how the problem has evolved historically into its current form.

Theoretical Foundations and/or Conceptual Framework

This section identifies the theory(s) or model(s) that provide the foundation for the practice project. It also contains an explanation of how the problem under investigation relates to the theory or model. The seminal source for each theory or model should be identified and described.

The theory(s) or models(s) guide the clinical questions and justify what is being measured (variables), as well as how those variables are related (quantitative). In qualitative studies the theory or model justifies the phenomena being investigated (qualitative). This section also includes a discussion of how the research question(s) align with the respective theory(s) or model(s), and illustrates how the project fits within other research based on the theory or model. The learner should cite references reflective of the foundational, historical, and current literature in the field. Overall, the presentation should reflect that the learner understands the theory or model and its relevance to the proposed project. The discussion should also reflect knowledge and familiarity with the historical development of the theory.

Review of the Literature

This section provides a broad, balanced overview of the existing literature related to the proposed research topic. It identifies themes, trends, and conflicts in research methodology, design and findings. It provides a synthesis of the existing literature, examines the contributions of the literature related to the topic, and presents an evaluation of the overall methodological strengths and weaknesses of the research. Through this synthesis, the gaps in research should become evident to the reader.

This section describes the literature in related topic areas and its relevance to the proposed project topic. It provides an overall analysis of the existing literature examining the contributions of this literature to the field, identifying the conflicts, and relating the themes and results to the proposed project. Citations are provided for all ideas, concepts, and perspectives. The investigator’s personal opinions or perspectives are not included.

The required components for this section include the following:

• Chapter 2 needs to be at least 30 pages in length. It needs to include a minimum of 50 scholarly sources with 85% from the past 5 years. Additional sources do not necessarily need to be from the past 5 years.
• Quantitative project: Describes each project variable in the project discussing the prior research that has been done on the variable.
• Qualitative project: Describes the phenomena being explored in the project discussing the prior research that has been done on the phenomena.
• Discusses the various methodologies and designs that have been used to research topics related to the project. Uses this information to justify the proposed design.
• Argues the appropriateness of the practice improvement project’s instruments, measures, and/or approaches used to collect data.
• Discusses topics related to the proposed practice improvement project topic. May include (1) studies relating the variables (quantitative) or exploring related phenomena (qualitative), (2) studies on related research such as factors associated with the topic, (3) studies on the instruments used to collect data, and/or (4) studies on the broad population for the project.
• Set of topics discussed in the Review of Literature demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the broad area in which the project topic exists.
• Argues the appropriateness of the practice improvement project’s instruments, measures, and/or approaches used to collect data.
• Each section within the Review of Literature includes an introductory paragraph that explains why the particular topic was explored relative to the practice improvement project topic.
• Each section also requires a summary paragraph(s) that (1) compares and contrasts alternative perspectives on the topic, (2) provides a summary of the themes relative to the research topic discussed that emerged from the literature, (3) discusses data from the various studies, and (4) identifies how themes are relevant to your practice improvement project topic.
• The types of references that may be used in the literature review include empirical articles, a limited number of practice improvement projects, peer -reviewed or scholarly journal articles, and books that present cutting edge views on a topic, are research based, or are seminal works.

The body of a literature review can be organized in a variety of ways depending on the nature of the project. Work with your Committee Chairperson to determine the best way to organize this section of Chapter 2, as it pertains to your overall project design. This template organizes the research thematically, as illustrated below.

Theme 1.

You may want to organize this section by themes and subthemes. To do so, use the pattern below.

Subtheme 1 . Grouped findings related to Theme 1

Project 1. Describe the clinical question(s), sample, methodology, and findings of this project.

Project 2. Describe the clinical question(s), sample, methodology, and findings of this project.

Project 3. Describe the clinical question(s), sample, methodology, and findings of this project.

In a concluding paragraph, provide a synthesis of the research studies presented in Subtheme 1. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each project, as well as the variables, instrumentation and findings of each project as they relate to each other, and use the findings of the studies in the subtheme to build an argument for your project. Discuss what is missing or how the research design or methodology could have changed in studies to improve the quality of the project. Discuss inconsistencies or gaps that emerge in the research providing opportunity for additional project. Provide a transition sentence to the next subtheme.

Subtheme 2. Grouped findings related to Theme 1

Project 1. (Clinical question(s), Sample, Methodology, Findings)

Project 2. (Clinical question(s), Sample, Methodology, Findings)

Project 3. (Clinical question(s), Sample, Methodology, Findings)

Provide a synthesis of the research in the subtheme as suggested above. Continue repeating this pattern with other research findings that fit with Theme 1 and then provide an overall synthesis of the research for Theme 1. Repeat this pattern for the next major theme in your literature review, and continue repeating as needed.

Theme 2.

Chapter 2 can be particularly challenging with regard to APA format for citations and quotations. Refer to your APA manual frequently to make sure your citations are formatted properly. It is critical that each in-text citation is appropriately listed in the Reference section.

As a rule, if a direct quote comprises fewer than 40 words, incorporate it into the narrative and enclose it with double quotation marks. The in-text citation is included after the final punctuation mark [6.03]. The final punctuation mark in quoted text should be placed inside the quotation mark.

For a quote within a quote, use a set of single quotation marks. Here is an example of a direct quote within a quote integrated into the narrative: In the classic introspective autobiography, The Memoirs of a Superfluous Man, we read that, “one never knows when or where the spirit’s breathe will rest, or what will come of its touch. ‘The spirit breathes where it will,’ said the Santissimo Salvatore, ‘and thou hearest the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth.’” (Nock, 1943, p.187) [4.08].

As a rule, if a quote comprises 40 or more words, display this material as a freestanding block quote. Start formal block quotes on a new line. They are indented one inch in from the left margin. The entire block quote is double-spaced. Quotation marks are not used with formal block quotes. The in-text citation is included after the final punctuation mark. [6.03]. Below is an example of a block quote: In an important biography, The First American: the Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin, historian H. W. Brands writes:

In February 1731, Franklin became a Freemason. Shortly thereafter, he volunteered to draft the bylaws for the embryonic local chapter, named for St. John the Baptist; upon acceptance of the bylaws, he was elected Warden and subsequently Master of the Lodge. Within three years, he became Grandmaster of all of Pennsylvania’s Masons. Not unforeseeable he–indeed, this was much of the purpose of membership for everyone involved–his fellow Masons sent business Franklin’s way. In 1734 he printed The Constitutions, the first formerly sponsored Masonic book in America; he derived additional [printing] work from his brethren on an unsponsored basis. (Brands, 2000, p.113).

Summary

This section restates what was written in Chapter 2 and provides supporting citations for key points. It synthesizes the information from the chapter using it to define the “gaps” in or “project needs” from the literature, the theory(s) or model(s) to provide the foundation for the project, the problem statement, the primary clinical question, the methodology, the design, the variables or phenomena, the data collection instruments or sources, and population to be studied. It then provides a transition discussion to Chapter

Overall, this section should:

• Synthesize the information from all of the prior sections in the Literature Review using it to define the key strategic points for the project.
• Summarize the gaps and needs in the background and introduction describing how it informs the problem statement
• Identify the theory(s) or model(s) describing how they inform the clinical questions.
• Use the literature to justify the design, variables or phenomena, data collection instruments or sources, and population to be studied.
• Build a case (argument) for the project in terms of the value of the project and how the clinical questions emerged from the review of literature.
• Explain how the current theories, models, and topics related to the proposed research will be advanced through your proposed research.
• Summarize key points in Chapter 2 and transitions into Chapter 3.

This section should help the reader clearly see and understand the relevance and importance of the research to be conducted. The Summary section transitions to Chapter 3 by building a case for the project, in terms of project design and rigor, and it formulates the clinical questions based on the gaps and tensions in the literature.

 Chapter 3: Methodology

Introduction

Chapter 3 documents how the project is conducted in enough detail so that replication by others is possible. The introduction begins with a summary of the project focus and purpose statement to reintroduce the reader to the need for the project. This can be summarized in 3-4 sentences from Chapter 1. Summarize the clinical questions and hypotheses (in narrative format), and then outline the expectations for this chapter.

Remember, throughout this chapter, that verb tense must be changed from present tense (proposal) to past tense (practice improvement project manuscript). Furthermore, consider what happened during data collection and analysis. Sometimes, the research protocol ends up being modified based on committee, Academic Quality Review (AQR), or Institutional Review Board (IRB) recommendations. After the practice project is complete, make sure this chapter reflects how the project was actually conducted.

Statement of the Problem

This section restates the problem for the convenience of the reader. Copy/paste the Statement of the Problem from Chapter 1. Then, edit, blend, and integrate this material into the narrative. Change future tense to past tense for practice improvement project manuscripts.

Clinical Question(s) or Hypotheses

This section restates the clinical question(s) and the hypotheses for the project from Chapter 1. For a quantitative project, it then presents the matching hypotheses and explains the variables. For a qualitative project, it then describes the phenomena to be understood as a result of the project. The section also briefly discusses the approaches to collecting the data to answer the clinical questions. For a quantitative project, it describes the instrument(s) or data source(s) to collect the data for each and every variable. For a qualitative project, it describes the instrument(s) or data source(s) to collect the data to answer each clinical question. It also discusses why the design was selected to be the best approach to answer the clinical questions, test the hypotheses (quantitative), or understand the phenomena (qualitative). Remember to change future tense to past tense for practice improvement project manuscripts.

Project Methodology

This section describes the research methodology for the project (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed) and explains the rationale for selecting this particular methodology. It also describes why this methodology was selected as opposed to the alternative methodologies. This section should elaborate on the Methodology section (from Chapter 1) providing the rationale for the selected research method (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed). Arguments are supported by citations from articles and books on research methodology and/or design. It is also appropriate in this section to outline the predicted results in relation to the clinical questions and hypotheses based on the existing literature.

Project Design

This section elaborates on the nature of the Project Design section from Chapter 1. It includes a detailed description of, and a rationale for, the specific design for the project. It also discusses the specific project design for the project (descriptive, correlational, experimental, quasi-experimental, historical, case project, ethnography, phenomenology, content analysis, exploratory, explanatory, embedded, triangulation, etc.) and describes how it aligns to the selected methodology indicated in the previous section. Additionally, it describes why the selected design is the best option to collect the data to answer the clinical need for the project. It explains exactly how the selected design will be used to collect data for each and every variable (for a quantitative project), or how the selected design will be used to collect data to describe the nature of the phenomena in detail (for a qualitative project). It identifies the specific instruments and data sources to be used to collect all of the different data required for the project. Arguments are supported by citations from articles and books on research methodology and/or design. This section should specify the independent, dependent, and/or classificatory variables as appropriate. Be sure to relate the variables back to the research questions and/or hypotheses. A brief discussion of the type of data collection tool chosen (survey, interview, observation, etc.) can also be included in this section as related to the variables.

Population and Sample Selection

            This section discusses the setting, total population, project population, and project sample. The discussion of the sample includes the research terminology specific to the type of sampling for the project. This section should include the following components:

• Describes the characteristics of the total population and the project population from which the project sample (project participants) is drawn.
• Describes the characteristics of the project population and the project sample.
• Clearly defines and differentiates the sample for the project (what is being studied) versus the number of people completing instruments on the project sample.
• Describes the project population size and project sample size and justifies the project sample size (e.g., power analysis) based on the selected design.
• Clearly defines and differentiates between the number for the project population and the project sample (for what is being studied) versus the number for the people who will complete any instruments.
• Details the sampling procedure including the specific steps taken to identify, contact and recruit potential project sample participants from the project population.
• Describes the informed consent process, confidentiality measures, project participation requirements, and geographic specifics.
• If subjects withdrew or were excluded from the project, you must provide an explanation.

Instrumentation (quantitative) or Sources of Data (qualitative)

This section fully identifies and describes the types of data that will be collected, as well as the specific instruments and sources used to collect those data (tests, questionnaires, interviews, data bases, media, etc.). Discuss the specific instrument or source to collect data for each variable or group for a quantitative project. Discuss the specific instrument or source to collect information to describe the phenomena being studied for a qualitative project. Use the “Instrumentation” heading if you are conducting a quantitative project. Use the “Sources of Data” heading if you are conducting a qualitative project. Use subheadings for each data collection instrument and place a copy of all instruments in an appendix.

If you are using an existing instrument, make sure to discuss in detail the characteristics of the instrument. For example, on a preexisting survey tool describe: how the instrument was developed and constructed, the validity and reliability of the instrument, the number of items or questions included in the survey, and the calculation of the score as appropriate. If you are developing your own instrument, describe in detail the process used to develop the tool and the characteristics of the instrument as described above.

Validity

This section describes and defends the procedures used to determine the validity of the data collected. Validity refers to the degree to which a project accurately reflects or assesses the specific concept that the investigator is attempting to measure. Ask if what is actually being measured is what was set out to be measured. As a investigator, you must be concerned with both external and internal validity. External validity refers to the extent to which the results of the project are generalizable (quantitative) or transferable (qualitative) to the population. Internal validity refers to the rigor with which the project was conducted (project design, theory instrumentation, measurements, etc.).

For this section, provide specific validity statistics for quantitative instruments, identifying how they were developed. Explain specific approaches on how validity will be addressed for qualitative data collection approaches. NOTE: Learners should not be developing any quantitative instruments without permission from the Director of Practice improvement projects.

Reliability

This section describes and defends the procedures used to determine the reliability of the data collected. Reliability is the extent to which an experiment, test, or any measuring procedure is replicable and yields the same result with repeated trials. For this section, provide specific reliability statistics for quantitative instruments, identifying how the statistics were developed. Explain specific approaches on how reliability will be addressed for qualitative data collection approaches.

Data Collection Procedures

This section details the entirety of the process used to collect the data. Describe the step-by-step procedures used to carry out all the major steps for data collection for the project in a way that would allow another investigator to replicate the project. The key elements of this section include:

• A description of the procedures for project sample recruitment, sample selection, and assignment to groups (if applicable).
• A description of the procedures for obtaining informed consent and for protecting the rights and well-being of the project sample participants, as well as those completing instruments on them.
• A description of the procedures adopted to maintain data securely, including the length of time data will be kept, where it will be kept, and how it will be destroyed.
• A description of the procedures for data collection, including how each instrument or data source was used, how and where data was collected, and how data was recorded.
• An explanation of the independent and dependent variables (if applicable), and how the resulting change in those variables is measured (if applicable),
• An explanation of how control variables were maintained as a constant value (if applicable), and;
• A discussion of any pilot testing required to produce valid and reliable results.

Data Analysis Procedures

This section provides a step-by-step description of the procedures to be used to conduct the data analysis. The key elements of this section include:

• A description of how the data was collected for each variable or group (quantitative project), or for each research question (qualitative project).
• A description of the type of data to be analyzed, identifying the descriptive, inferential, and/or non-statistical analyses.
• Demonstration that the project analysis is aligned to the specific project design.
• A description of the clinical question(s). Also includes the null and alternative hypotheses for quantitative studies, if applicable.
• A detailed description of the relevant data collected for each stated clinical question and/or each variable within each hypothesis (if applicable).
• A description of how the raw data was organized and prepared for analysis. Provides a step-by-step description of the procedures used to conduct the data analysis.
• A detailed description of any statistical and non-statistical analysis to be employed.
• A rationale is provided for each of the data analysis procedures (statistical and non-statistical) employed in the project.
• Demonstrates that the data analyses techniques align with the research design.
• The level of statistical significance for quantitative analyses is stated as appropriate.
• References the software used for the data analyses and makes sure that the language used to describe the data analysis procedure is consistently used in Chapters 4 and 5.

Ethical Considerations

This section discusses the potential ethical issues surrounding the project, as well as how human subjects and data will be protected. The key ethical issues that must be addressed in this section include:

• Identifies how any potential ethical issues will be addressed.
• Provides a discussion of ethical issues related to the project and the sample population of interest, institution or data collection process.
• Addresses anonymity, confidentiality, privacy, lack of coercion, informed consent, and potential conflict of interest.
• Demonstrates adherence to the key principles of the Belmont Report (respect, justice and beneficence) in the project design, sampling procedures, and within the theoretical framework, research problem and questions.
• Discusses how the data will be stored, safeguarded and destroyed.
• Discusses how the results of the project will be published.
• Discusses any potential conflict of interest on the part of the investigator.
• References IRB approval to conduct the project, which includes subject recruiting and informed consent processes, in regard to the voluntary nature of project.
• The IRB approval letter with the protocol number, informed consent/subject assent documents, site authorization letter(s), or any other measures required to protect the participants or institutions, must be included in an appendix.

Limitations

While Chapter 1 addresses the broad, overall limitations of the project, this section discusses in detail the limitations related to the research approach and methodology and potential impacts on the results. Describes any limitations related to the methods, sample, instrumentation, data collection process and analysis. Other methodological limitations of the project may include issues with regard to the sample in terms of size, population and procedure, instrumentation, data collection processes, and data analysis. This section also contains an explanation of why the existing limitations are unavoidable and are not expected to affect the results negatively.

Summary

This section restates what was written in Chapter 3 and provides supporting citations for key points. Your summary should demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the overall project design and analysis techniques. The Chapter 3 summary ends with a discussion that transitions the reader to Chapter 4.

Barzun, J., & Graff, H. F. (1992). The Modern Investigator: A classic work on research and writing completely revised and brought up to date. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Brands, H. W. (2000). The First American: the Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Doubleday.

Calabrese, R. L. (2006). The elements of an effective practice improvement project & thesis: a step-by-step guide to getting it right the first time. Lanham, MD: Roman & Littlefield Education.

Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Hacker, D., Somers, N., Jehn, T., & Rosenzweig, J. (2008). Rules for writers. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Nock, A. J. (1943). The Memoirs of a Superfluous Man. New York: Harper & Brothers.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (2010) Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. (6th edition) (ISBN 10: 1-4338-0559-6; ISBN 13: 978-1-4338-0561-5; ISBN 10: 1-4338-0561-8).

Sprague, J., & Stuart, D. (2000) The speaker’s handbook, Harcourt College Publishers.

Strunk, W. I., & White, E.B. (1979). The elements of style. New York: Macmillan Publishing, Inc.

Appendix A

The Parts of a Practice improvement project

GCU uses the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6^th edition for its practice improvement project formatting and style guide. The GCU practice improvement project template complies with APA 6.0 with exceptions as noted in the template and in this formatting guide. A practice improvement project has three parts: preliminary pages, main text, and supplementary pages. Some preliminary or supplementary pages may be optional or not appropriate to a specific project. The learner should consult with his or her practice improvement project Chairperson and committee regarding inclusion/exclusion of optional pages.

Preliminary Pages. The following preliminary pages precede the main text of the practice improvement project.

• Title Page
• Copyright Page (optional)
• Approval Page
• Abstract
• Dedication Page (optional)
• Acknowledgements (optional)
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables (if you have tables, a list is required)
• List of Figures (if you have figures, a list is required)      

Main Text. The main text is divided into five major chapters. Each chapter can be further subdivided into sections and subsections based on the formatting requirements for each college.

• Chapter 1: Introduction to the Project
• Chapter 2: Literature Review
• Chapter 3: Methodology
• Chapter 4: Data Analysis and Results
• Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations

Supplementary Pages. Supplementary pages follow the body text, including reference materials and other required or optional addenda.

• References
• Appendices
• Vitae (optional)
• Glossary (optional)
• List of Abbreviations (optional)

Keep in mind that most formatting challenges are found in the preliminary and supplementary pages. Allocate extra time and attention for these sections to avoid delays in the electronic submission process. Also, as elementary as it may seem, run a complete spell and grammar check of your entire document before submission.

Appendix B

Title of Appendix

American Psychological Association (APA) Style is most commonly used to cite sources within the social sciences. This resource, revised according to the 6^th edition, second printing of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, offers examples for the general format of APA research papers, in-text citations, footnotes, and the reference page. For specifics, consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6^th edition, second printing. For additional information on APA Style, consult the APA website:

http://apastyle.org/learn/index.aspx

The Table of Contents reflects the specific levels of organization within the dissertation. All major (chapter) headings must be worded exactly the same and occur in the same order as they do in the GCU dissertation template. Any heading that appears in the Table of Contents must appear in the text, and any heading in the text must appear in the Table of Contents.

Subheadings differentiate subsections of each chapter, are single-spaced and upper and lowercase.

• indent first- level subheadings 3 spaces
• indent second-level subheadings 6 spaces
• continue to indent 3 spaces for subsequent level subheadings

The headings and subheadings in the Table of Contents must exactly match the text body.

The Table of Contents pages are counted and show a Roman numeral page number at the top right. The page number is justified with a 1 in. margin on each page. The page number should not be listed in the Table of Contents.

Numbered or bulleted lists are indented .5 inch from the left margin. Subsequent lines are indented further with a hanging indent. Each number or bullet ends with a period. Bullet lists use  “List Bullet 3” Style. Numbered lists use “List Number 2” Style.

Numbered or bulleted lists are indented .5 inch from the left margin. Subsequent lines are indented further with a hanging indent. Each number or bullet ends with a period

Each paragraph of the dissertation must be longer than a single sentence, but no longer than one manuscript page [3.08].

Indent .5 inches from the left margin. Subsequent lines are indented further with a hanging indent. Each number or bullet ends with a period. Bullet lists use  “List Bullet 3” Style. Numbered lists use “List Number 2” Style.

Book titles, periodicals, films, videos, television shows, and non-English words and phrases appear in italics. [4.21]

Names of the titles of short articles and essays appearing in periodicals are set off by quotation marks

In addition to non-English phrases, wars and treaty names appear in italics. [4.21]

The Reference list should appear as a numbered new page at the end of the dissertation. The Reference heading is centered at the top of the page and is bolded.

The Reference list provides necessary information for the reader to locate and retrieve any source cited in the body of the text. Each source mentioned must appear in the Reference list. Likewise, each entry in the Reference list must be cited in the text.

This page must be entitled “References.” This title is centered at the top of the page. Do not use bold, underline, or quotation marks for this title. All text should be in 12-point Times New Roman font and double-spaced.

NOTE: References must use a hanging indent of 0.5” and be double-spaced. Examples of common references are provided below. See APA 6.0 Edition Chapter 7, 6.22 for specific reference formatting instructions. For more information on references or APA Style, consult the APA website: at http://apastyle.org

The appendices follow the reference list and typically include materials relevant to the research and referenced in the main text, (e.g. raw data, letters of permission, institutional review authorization, surveys or other data collection materials).

Each appendix must begin with a new page, have its own letter designation A, B, C…etc., and a descriptive title.

The appendix heading is centered, with a 1” top margin and is upper and lower case.

The content or text for each appendix follows right after the title and must fit the dissertation margins specifications: 1.5” left, 1” top, right, and bottom.

Text spacing for appendix content depends on the nature of the appendix material. The format of the material should be clean and consistent.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS

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• Discussion Questions (DQ)

Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, including a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words. Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source. One or two-sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words. I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.

• Weekly Participation

Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately. In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies. Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work). Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week. DPI Proposal Chapter 1 

• APA Format and Writing Quality

Familiarize yourself with the APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in Loud-cloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required). Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation. I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.

• Use of Direct Quotes

I discourage over-utilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Master’s level and deduct points accordingly. As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content. It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source.

• LopesWrite Policy

For assignments that need to be submitted to Lopes Write, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me. Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes. Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own? Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in Loud-cloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.

• Late Policy

The university’s policy on late assignments is a 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies. Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances. If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect. I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension. As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.

• Communication

Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me: Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class. Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours. DPI Proposal Chapter 1 

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