CJUS 740 Discussion Board 1

Topic: You are a Ph.D. candidate in Criminal Justice and working to find a topic for your dissertation. How would you go about reviewing the existing literature on a topic you find interesting? When reading scholarly articles, what reading methods would you employ to be an active and effective researcher? Replies: Respond to 2 classmate’s threads and state why you agree or disagree with their statements. Be sure to use specific examples from the course material and textbook.

CJUS 740

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Discussion Assignment Instructions

You will take part in 5 Discussions in which you will post a thread presenting your scholarly response on the assigned topic, writing 750–850 words (supported with at least four cites) by Thursday at 11:59pm. Then, you will post replies of 250–300 words (supported with at least two cites) each to 2 or more classmates’ threads by Sunday at 11:59pm. For each thread, students must support their assertions with at least four (4) scholarly citations in current APA format. Each reply must incorporate at least two (2) scholarly citation(s) in current APA format. Any sources cited must have been published within the last five years. The original thread must incorporate ideas and several scholarly citations from all of the required readings and presentations for that Module: Week. The reply posts can integrate ideas and citations from the required readings and presentations for other Modules: Weeks. Integrate Biblical principles in your personal thread and in all replies to peers.

CJUS 740

Discussion Grading Rubric

0 points
Not present

Advanced

92–100%

Proficient

84-91%

Developing

1–83%

Not present

0 points
Not present

Criteria

Levels of Achievement

Content

(70%)

Advanced

92–100%

Proficient

84-91%

Developing

1–83%

Not present

Thread:

Content

6.5 to 7 points:

All key components of the Discussion prompt are answered in the thread.

· The thread is well-developed and fully addresses all aspects of the question.

· The thread is factually correct, is reflective, and is a substantive contribution.

· The thread advances discussion.

· The thread contributes to discussion with clear, concise comments.

5.75 to 6.25 points:

Most of the key components of the Discussion prompt are answered in a thread.

· Major points are stated clearly for the most part.

· Additional academic reference support and/or examples is needed

· Thoughtful analysis is clearly demonstrated for the most part.

1 to 5.5 points:

The key components of the Discussion prompt are not adequately answered.

· Not all the major points are clearly stated and supported.

· Lacks academic support and/or examples.

· Thoughtful analysis is not clearly demonstrated.

0 points

Not present

Thread:

Research Engagement

6.5 to 7 points:

· A minimum of two peer-reviewed/scholarly sources are referenced and integrated.

· Peer-reviewed articles are recent and relevant.

5.75 to 6.25 points:

· A minimum of two peer-reviewed/scholarly sources are integrated somewhat.

· Academic quality is lacking.

1 to 5.5 points:

References are not peer-reviewed/scholarly sources and/or appropriately integrated.

Replies:

Content

6.5 to 7 points:

At least 2 substantive replies given in response to classmates’ threads that:

· Relate to the concepts learned through the required readings and

· Share relevant additional knowledge.

5.75 to 6.25 points:

At least 2 substantive replies given in response to classmates’ threads. More attention should be given to:

· The concepts learned through the required readings and

· Shared relevant additional knowledge.

1 to 5.5 points:

· Missing one reply.

· Reply posts are redundant.

· New ideas, research, and/or analysis are not adequately included.

Replies:

Research Engagement

6.5 to 7 points:

A minimum of 2 academic /scholarly source is referenced and integrated.

5.75 to 6.25 points:

A minimum of 1 academic /scholarly source is referenced and integrated somewhat. Academic quality is lacking.

1 to 5.5 points:

References are not academic/scholarly sources and/or appropriately integrated.

Thread & Replies

Biblical Worldview

6.5 to 7 points:

The post brings clarity to issues being discussed, relating issues to scriptural/biblical principles and experience.

5.75 to 6.25 points:

The post brings some clarity to issues being discussed, relating issues to scriptural/biblical principles and experience.

1 to 5.5 points:

· Attention is needed to clarify issues being discussed, relating issues to scriptural/biblical principles and experience.

· Not present on one to two responses.

Structure (30%)

APA, Grammar, Spelling, & Structure

9.25 to 10 points:

· Academic/scholarly sources are referenced and cited appropriately. The thread correctly references literature, readings, or personal experience to support comments.

· This section must be balanced in the “spirit of APA” as Bb DB’s create internal formatting errors.

· Minimal to zero errors in spelling, grammar, and structure.

8.75 to 9 points:

· Some errors in APA.

· Some errors in spelling, grammar, and structure.

1 to 8.5 points:

· Numerous errors in APA.

· Numerous errors in spelling, grammar, and structure.

Word Count

4.75 to 5 points:

· Required word count (500-700 words) is met for the initial response.

· At least 2 substantive replies of 200-300 words for each reply.

4.25 to 4.5 points:

· Required word count (250–300 words) is not met for the initial response, but student has posted at least 200 words and/or;

· Only 1 substantive reply of 100–150 words for each reply.

1 to 4 points:

Initial post less than 200 words and/or replies lack depth and contain only a few sentences.

Replies: Respond to 2 classmate’s threads and state why you agree or disagree with their statements. Be sure to use specific examples from the course material and textbook.

Applied Dissertation Template

Revised

The purpose of this template is to ensure that the dissertation manuscript is a quality document. This template provides information about formatting and the content contained in each section of the dissertation.

Formatting

The margins for all chapters of the dissertation are as follows: 1 inch at the top and bottom, 1 inch on the right side, and 1 inch on the left side. All text should be Times New Roman,

-point font. Text within the body of the manuscript should be left justified. Double spacing should be employed throughout the manuscript. Page numbers should all be Arabic numerals and placed in the upper right-hand corner (with the page number on the first page suppressed). All manuscripts should follow the latest version of the APA style manual.

Below is the
Applied Dissertation Template
with a description of each section.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE TITLE PAGE: THE TITLE SHOULD GO HERE (ALL CAPS)

Student’s Full Legal Name

Liberty University

A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Education

Liberty University

Year

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE SIGNATURE PAGE: THE TITLE SHOULD GO HERE (ALL CAPS)

by Student’s Full Legal Name

A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Education

Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

Year

APPROVED BY:

Name and degree, Committee Chair

Name and degree, Committee Member

ABSTRACT

The abstract summarizes the contents of the manuscript, starting with the purpose (see template below) or rationale of the study, the research questions (or at least the central research question), the methods, and the results. The first sentence is not indented. Descriptions of the methods should include the design, the sample, setting, and data collection and analysis methods. Approximately 2

0 words or less is recommended. It is written in future tense until the study is completed. No more than one page is allowable, and the abstract should be written as one, double-spaced paragraph. Author-date citations and direct quotes are not included. The abstract should include results of the study but should not include statistics, discussion of, or reference to, the literature review. The word “ABSTRACT” should be in all caps and a Level 1 heading, centered, but not bold. As an outline for your abstract, we recommend the template adapted from Creswell (1994, 2003):

The purpose of this applied study was to solve the problem of ________________ (identify the problem of practice) for ____________ (identify site/setting and stakeholders) and to design ___________ (identify the project – curriculum, intervention, training, etc.) to address the problem. Briefly introduce proposed data collection and data analysis strategies designed to describe the problem, followed by a general description of the project (curriculum, training, program, etc.) that will be developed to address the problem.

Keywords: This is a list of 4-7 words (separated by commas) relevant to your study.

Copyright Page (Optional)

Dedication (Optional)

The dedication page is a page in which the candidate dedicates the manuscript. This page is optional.

Acknowledgments (Optional)

The acknowledgments page provides the opportunity for the candidate to acknowledge individuals who influenced the writing and completion of the dissertation. This page is optional.

Table of Contents

The Table of Contents lists the various chapters and subsections of the manuscript along with their page numbers. The Table of Contents should include the Abstract, Copyright Page (optional), Dedication (optional), Acknowledgements (optional),

List of Tables

List of Figures

, CHAPTER TITLES (all caps), Level 1 headings, Level 2 headings,

REFERENCES

(all caps), and

APPENDIX or APPENDICES

(all caps). These should be left justified. The subsections included should only be APA Level 1 and Level 2 headings within the manuscript. Level 1 headings should be indented one half inch and Level 2 headings should be indented one inch. Chapter titles are not considered Level 1 headings. Entries should be double-spaced.

ABSTRACT

Dedication (Optional)

Acknowledgments (Optional)

List of Tables

List of Figures

List of Abbreviations

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Overview

Background

Problem Statement

Purpose Statement

Significance of the Study

Research Questions

Definitions

Summary

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

Overview

Theoretical or Conceptual Framework

Related Literature

Summary

CHAPTER THREE: PROPOSED METHODS

Overview

Design

Research Questions

Setting

Participants

The Researcher’s Role

Procedures

Data Collection and Analysis

Interviews

Focus Group

Survey

Ethical Considerations

Summary

CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS

Overview

Participants

Results

Sub-question 1

Note: The central research question will be answered in Chapter Five.

Discussion

Summary

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION

Overview

Restatement of the Problem

Proposed Solution to the Central Question

Resources Needed

Funds Needed

Roles and Responsibilities

Timeline

Solution Implications

Evaluation Plan

Summary

REFERENCES

APPENDIX or APPENDICES

List of Tables

The List of Tables cites the tables and the corresponding pages of each table. This enables the reader to easily locate the tables in the manuscript. The title of this page should be a Level 1 heading, centered, 1 inch from the top of the page. Entries should be double-spaced.

List of Figures

The List of Figures cites the figures and the corresponding pages of each figure. This enables the reader to easily locate the figures in the manuscript. The title of this page should be a Level 1 heading, centered, 1 inch from the top of the page. Entries should be double-spaced.

List of Abbreviations

The title of this page should be a Level 1 heading, centered, 1 inch from the top of the page. Entries should be double-spaced. Examples are provided below.

Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI)

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

Standards of Learning (SOL)

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

Overview

Background

The Background section educates the reader regarding the topic. The Background section provides a historical, social, and theoretical context related to the problem (thus, you may want to organize this section using these three Level 2 headings). For example, say that the problem is teacher retention. What does the literature say about teacher retention from a historical, social, and theoretical perspective? For an applied dissertation, the emphasis is on solving an existing problem of practice. In order to do this, you must rely heavily on existing research and explore what other scholars and practitioners are saying about the problem in general. The background should be well cited and approximately five pages in length.

Problem Statement

The Problem Statement identifies the general educational problem, the specific educational problem, the focus of the research, the educational or organizational setting, population and stakeholders. This section provides you the opportunity to show that the proposed research is needed and is relevant to the organization being studied. Focus on the problem to be examined. The problem statement draws from the background section; it includes current (i.e., five years or less since publication) literature (at least five citations) to show that the proposed research is empirically significant and relevant to the field. The problem should be stated clearly and unambiguously in one to two paragraphs. You should state: “The problem is….” In one to two focused paragraphs, convince the reader why the particular issue or problem your study is investigating needs to be conducted.

· Introduce the general problem needing research, including relevant/recent statistics on the issue.

· Summarize the recent research on the problem.

· Explain how/why the current research is deficient or falls short to address the problem.

· Conclude with a focused statement identifying the problem in relation to a multimethod research design.

Purpose Statement

The purpose statement should flow from the problem statement and clearly and succinctly state the focus and intentions of the proposed research. The purpose statement should begin with the following statement: “The purpose of this applied study is to solve the problem of….” It foreshadows the research question(s), and the statement must be used consistently throughout the dissertation.

You are encouraged to use the following template:

“The purpose of this applied study is to solve the problem of ________________ (identify the problem of practice) for ___________ (identify site/setting and stakeholders) and to formulate a solution to address the problem. A multimethod design was used consisting of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The first approach will be structured interviews with __________. The second approach will be (documents; records; archival data; survey; focus group; etc…) _________ with/using ______. The third approach will be (documents; records; archival data; survey; focus group; etc…) _________ with/using _________.”

Although brief in nature, the problem of the study and the purpose statement are two very important aspects of the manuscript. These statements identify the goal of the research and support the importance of the study. All preceding writing within the manuscript should funnel into the problem and purpose statements, and all proceeding aspects of the manuscript should align with, support, and further expand upon the problem and purpose statements.

Significance of the Study

The significance of the study section begins with a description of the practical contributions that the study makes to the organization being studied; why it is important to the location, organization, population, or stakeholders being studied (e.g., Why and how does it affect them? How will it improve the conditions, lives, work environment, etc.? How can this study be used on a wider scale to effect change to help a wider group of people or the organization as a whole?). Identify the specific stakeholders who will find the study significant for each section. References are very important here to lend additional credence and support the study. All assertions in this section need to be well supported by the literature. Citations are needed.

Research Questions

The proposed research questions should be derived from the problem and purpose statements. A well-written research question is feasible, clear, significant, and ethical. In applied studies, research questions are most often pragmatic in nature and include key terms of the study (e.g., retention, graduation rates, job satisfaction, etc…). Applied research questions are usually broader and become more specific as you move into the actual data collection/analysis process. It is expected that research questions may be revised as more information pertaining to the study is discovered. To begin your study, begin with one main central question and at least three sub-questions, understanding that it may be necessary to revise the number and kind of questions asked based on further research. The subsequent questions are called sub-questions and must be numbered. Remember that each research question will need to be addressed in the data collection, data analysis, project design, and discussion sections of later chapters. Be sure these questions do not elicit simple yes/no responses.

Research questions should be listed, each on a separate line. You are encouraged to use the following format. Example:

Central Question: How can the problem of teacher burnout be solved at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?

Sub-question 1: How would administrators in an interview solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?

Sub-question 2: How would educators in a focus group solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?

Sub-question 3: How would quantitative survey data inform the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?

Definitions

Terms pertinent to the study should be listed and defined in this section. All definitions need to be supported by the literature, thus citations are needed. Include terms that use abbreviations. Dictionary definitions are not acceptable. Example:

1. Attitude – Attitude is a psychological tendency that involves evaluating a particular object with some degree of favor or disfavor (Eagly & Chaiken, 1993).

2. Interest – The combination of emotion and personal valuation of a task resulting in a desire for various levels of enjoyment (Ainley & Ainley, 2011).

3. Etc…

Summary

Provide a chapter summary here. The Summary includes a succinct restatement of the problem and purpose of the study and provides a strong conclusion to the chapter.

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

Overview

The Overview should begin with a brief restatement of the purpose of the study. The purpose should be followed by a restatement of the Problem Statement. You will then clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter using future tense. Chapter Two is often the longest chapter of the dissertation. The minimum length is 30 pages, but most are longer. In this chapter you will provide a context for the present research and demonstrate its importance based on related literature. Chapter Two is comprised of at least four sections: (a) the Overview, (b) a Theoretical (or Conceptual) Framework section, (c) a Related Literature section, and (d) a Summary. Subheadings at Level 2 and Level 3 are often necessary. Often 1,000–2,000 articles are read and around 100–200 integrated in the construction of this chapter. The majority of the literature cited in the chapter should be current (i.e., five years or less since publication), though it is understood that some seminal studies published more than five years ago are appropriate in certain sections and discussions. The Overview must clearly and concisely describe the contents and organization of the chapter.

Theoretical or Conceptual Framework

This section should provide the reader with a direct connection to the conceptual or theoretical framework that will effectively guide the study and allow the findings to be situated within a greater context. According to Maxwell (2005),

The point is not to summarize what has already been done in the field. Instead, it is to ground your proposed study in the relevant previous work, and to give the reader a clear sense of your theoretical approach to the phenomena that you propose to study. (p. 123)

Start by describing the theory(ies), including origination and major theorist(s). Next, discuss how the theory(ies) has advanced or informed the literature on your topic. Conclude by articulating how your specific research focus relates to the theory and how it may potentially advance or extend the theory(ies). Examples of theoretical frameworks include Bandura’s (1986) Social Cognitive Theory, Maslow’s (1954) Hierarchy of Needs, Knowles (1980) Adult Learning Theory, etc. Situating your study and focus of inquiry within an established theoretical framework helps establish the significance of the study.

Related Literature

The purpose of this section is to provide a tight synthesis of the existing knowledge on this topic and link this existing knowledge to the proposed study. This is not simply a study-by-study summary. The majority of the Literature Review will be established in this section. As you read the literature, the information relevant to your study will need to be categorized into major themes which will be presented using headings arranged in a logical order in this section. Remember that this section is the argument for the significance of the study. It communicates what has been examined on the topic(s), what has not been examined or how understanding on the topic is still developing, and how your study can further understanding in the field.

Summary

This section should provide a focused summary of what is currently known, what is not known, and how your proposed study can specifically address the problem. This should be a concise summary of the information presented in this chapter.

General notes:

It is important to remember that Chapter Two is not a summary of facts or summaries of relevant research, but rather a critical argument. Derived from Rudestam and Newtons’ (2007) Surviving Your Dissertation, here are some keys to a successful construction of a literature review:

1. Be a convincing writer. Remember that your literature review provides the context for your dissertation and demonstrates why your topic is important and relevant. Your literature review demonstrates the relationship between previous research and your study, and it demonstrates how your study is distinctive and different from previous research.

2. Be a critic not a reporter. Adopt a critical perspective in reading and identifying

relationships among research articles. Avoid composing a literature review that is a library of facts. That is, make sure your literature review is a coherent argument that leads to the problem statement or description of the study you are proposing. Your literature review should begin with a clear statement of your goal and be followed by a structured argument.

3. Be a selective writer. Avoid the temptation to report all the literature you review. Be selective and discuss only the articles that are most relevant. Keep in mind that you may review 2,000 articles and only include 100-200.

4. Be a skillful researcher. Use primarily seminal articles and articles that are no more than five years old in your literature review. Always strive to cite primary sources and reputable and scholarly sources.

5. Be a reasonable problem solver. At the conclusion of your literature review, write a statement that summarizes or highlights the most relevant literature and conclusions that lead to your proposed study. Be sure that you clearly identify that your problem has both theoretical and practical value.

CHAPTER THREE: PROPOSED METHODS
Overview

Design

Begin this section by identifying the research design. You will use a multimethod design, which incorporates both qualitative and quantitative methods. According to Tashakkori and Teddlie (2009), “different scholars have used different terms (integrative, combined, blended, mixed methods, multimethod, multistrategy, etc.) to identify studies that attempt such integration” (p. 283). For a Liberty University SOE applied dissertation, use the term multimethod to describe your design. For example, it would be appropriate to state that “a multimethod research design was used for this applied study.” In addition to identifying the design, you will need to provide a rationale for why the design is most appropriate for the study. This rationale needs to be supported by scholarly sources. In other words, what is the purpose of the design? Why is it the most appropriate choice for the present study? Refer to your educational research texts for the proper design description and use them to support your rationales.

In the Design section, you must also discuss, in general terms, the specific approaches you will use in your multimethod study. Three data collection approaches are required for an applied dissertation. The first approach must be qualitative, in the form of interviews. The second approach can be qualitative or quantitative. The third approach must be quantitative. Some examples of qualitative data collection approaches include interviews, focus groups, document analysis, and observations. Some examples of quantitative data collection include quantitative surveys and archival data (e.g., test scores, attendance records, referral records, etc.). In an applied study, surveys are usually created by the researcher to elicit pertinent information for solving the problem of practice.

Note: For Liberty University applied research dissertations you will use a multimethod design. Other designs will need to be approved by the Director of Applied Research.

Research Questions

Central Question: How can the problem of teacher burnout be solved at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?

Sub-question 1: How would administrators in an interview solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?
Sub-question 2: How would educators in a focus group solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?
Sub-question 3: How would quantitative survey data inform the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?
Setting

You may choose to title this section “Site” or “Setting.” In this section, the setting (or the site) of the study should be described in detail (e.g., geographic location, school system, the course, etc.), while protecting location confidentiality. Just as you should purposefully select your participants for an applied study, it is also important to provide a rationale for your site selection. Only important features which have bearing on the present study should be included. The following questions should be addressed: How and why was this setting (site) chosen for this study? What does the organization look like with regards to leadership, organizational structure, population, etc.? Describe it with details. Pseudonyms for both individuals and institutions should be provided in this section.

Participants

In the Participants section, the sample pool, the proposed sample size, type of sample, and sampling procedures (e.g., convenience, snowball sample, maximum variation, etc.) should be clearly explained and each decision should be supported by research citations. Describe the pool of potential participants from which the participants will be drawn. Participants must be stakeholders directly involved with the problem identified in Chapter One.

For the interview portion of the study, the number of participants will most often range from 5-10, and no fewer than five participants will be acceptable without approval from the administrative team of Doctoral Programs and Research (School of Education). For example, “Four teachers and one principal will be interviewed for this study . . . etc.” For the quantitative portion of the study, you may choose to administer a survey. The number of participants will most often range from 15 to 30, and no fewer than 15 participants will be acceptable without approval from the administrative team of Doctoral Programs and Research (School of Education). The minimum number of participants for the survey may include the participants who participated in the interviews. Make sure your survey sample is large enough to make a reasonable interpretation of the data. If using a survey as an approach, include the proposed participant information. For example, “The survey will be sent to 24 teachers.”

The Researcher’s Role

In this section, clearly and thoroughly explain your motivation for conducting the study. Through bracketing, you must identify your relationship to the participants, your role in the setting or research site, and any bias or assumptions you bring to the study that may influence how you collect and analyze the data. The role of the researcher must also be articulated in light of the multimethod design and the implications of this role on the data collection and data analysis procedures must be addressed.

Procedures

In the Procedures section, the steps necessary to conduct the study are outlined. This includes, but is not limited to, information about securing Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, eliciting participants for the study, gathering the data, and recording procedures. Include in your Procedures section wording similar to the following: “Permission from the IRB will be obtained (see Appendix A for IRB approval). Written permission to conduct the study will be obtained from the superintendent, principal of the participating school, the key gatekeepers at any site, etc. (see Appendix B for permission request letter and permissions).” All procedural materials (e.g., IRB permission, school permission, consent forms, assent forms, protocol, training manual, and any other pertinent information) should be included in the appendices.

Note: Data CANNOT be collected until after the proposal is defended and Liberty University IRB permission to conduct the research has been granted. If data are collected or accessed prior to obtaining all necessary and full IRB approvals, the candidate will be removed from the program. Except in rare and unusual circumstances, investigators should not enroll employees under their direct supervision into their research studies that involve greater than minimal risk without the prospect of direct benefit.

Data Collection and Analysis

Three data collection approaches are required for an applied dissertation. The first approach must be qualitative, in the form of interviews. The second approach may be qualitative or quantitative. The third approach must be quantitative. Organize this section with Level 2 headings according to the approach you choose. For example, your first Level 2 heading would be “Interviews” (see example below).

Interviews

(This is a required approach for all applied dissertations)

Begin by restating sub-question one in statement form. For example, “The first sub-question for this study explored how administrators in an interview would solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia.” For applied research at Liberty University, interviews are a required data collection approach. No fewer than five participants will be acceptable without approval from the administrative team of Doctoral Programs and Research (School of Education). Interview data collection procedures should follow the recommendations of established researchers in the field (e.g., Erlandson, Harris, Skipper, & Allen, 1993; Lincoln & Guba, 1985; Merriam, 1988; Miles & Huberman, 1994; Patton, 1980, 1990, etc.). Interviews must be conducted synchronously: face-to-face, individual phone call or e-conference, or in-person focus groups. All interviews must be transcribed for data analysis.

Identify the data collection strategy (e.g., structured, semi-structured, etc.), fully define it in the context of applied inquiry (with citation), explain the data collection strategy in layman’s terms (if appropriate), and justify its appropriateness for your research. Discuss any logistics (when/where/how/with whom data will be collected, recorded, etc.) and explicate which of your research questions will be answered by this data collection strategy. It is important to demonstrate that your interview questions are generated from and supported by in the literature on your topic and will address all research questions. Your interview questions should be included in a numbered list with an item-by-item discussion of each question, their basis in the literature, and how they align with the research questions. By explaining in detail the purpose of each interview question, you not only establish the validity of your questions, but also establish the basis for your discussion of findings in relation to the literature in Chapter Five. This approach should include enough detail that another researcher could duplicate your study in another setting. The procedures should be described in chronological, step-by-step format.

Finish this section by telling the reader how you plan to analyze the qualitative data. For example, the sentence could begin: “Interview data will be analyzed…” Clearly identify the data analysis procedures and provide a concise rationale for the analysis. Be sure that your analysis procedures are aligned with your research approach. For qualitative data analysis, interviews must be transcribed in order to code and categorize information into themes. Tell the reader which of these tools you will use to analyze the data. Fully define each tool you will use (with appropriate citations), and explain why these are appropriate choices for the qualitative data analysis for your study.

Focus Group

Begin by restating sub-question two in statement form. For example, “The second sub-question for this study explored educators in a focus group would solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia.” Focus groups are a qualitative data collection strategy that attempts to obtain information on a phenomenon through an involved discussion consisting of various research participants who have gathered in one location at a specified time. Focus groups are common within applied research due to the efficiency that it brings concerning data collection. A focus group will also minimize reflexivity that might occur between the researcher and a single participant.

Finish this section by telling the reader how you plan to analyze the qualitative data. For example, the sentence could begin: “Focus group data will be analyzed…” Clearly identify the data analysis procedures and provide a concise rationale for the analysis. Be sure that your analysis procedures are aligned with your research approach. For qualitative data analysis, focus group data must be transcribed in order to code and categorize information into themes. Tell the reader which of these tools you will use to analyze the data. Fully define each tool you will use (with appropriate citations), and explain why these are appropriate choices for the qualitative data analysis for your study.

Survey

Begin by restating sub-question three in statement form. For example, “The third sub-question for this study explored how quantitative survey data would inform the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ high school located in central Georgia.” In this section, tell the reader how you plan to collect the quantitative data. One option would be to administer a survey. Develop the survey questions based on the literature. The survey must be in quantitative format (e.g., Likert scale, semantic differential scale, forced rank scale, etc.). Discuss any logistics (when/where/how/with to whom the survey will be sent out to, how the data will be collected, recorded, etc.) and explicate which of your research questions will be answered by this data collection strategy. This approach should include enough detail that another researcher could duplicate your study in another setting. The procedures should be described in chronological, step-by-step format.

Finish this section by telling the reader how you plan to analyze the quantitative data. Clearly identify the data analysis procedures and provide a concise rationale for the analysis. Be sure that your analysis procedures are aligned with your research approach. For example, the sentence could begin: “Survey data will be analyzed…” Use descriptive statistics such as means and/or frequency counts. Include the type of figures that will be used such as trend charts, bar charts, pie graphs, etc…

Ethical Considerations

Any ethical considerations or implications of the research should be discussed. These might include data storage (e.g., locked filing cabinets and password protection for electronic files) and usage, influence, confidentiality (e.g., use of site and participant pseudonyms), and any other potential issues that might arise and how they will be addressed.

Summary

Provide a chapter summary. The Summary provides a strong conclusion to the chapter.

Note: The proposal defense includes Chapter One, Two, and Three. Following an approved proposal defense, the candidate conducts the research necessary to complete Chapters Four and Five.

CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS

Overview

The purpose of Chapter Four is to present the results of the data collection and analysis. This chapter is reserved for findings and discussion of results. Data should be presented in the form of themes (narrative), and include charts, graphs, tables, and/or models. Data should be presented in the order in which the research questions were stated and according to themes generated. The research questions should be answered before concluding the chapter.

Participants

Since this applied dissertation used participants to collect both qualitative and quantitative date, it is important to present this information in an appropriate format. Organize these participant descriptions using Level 2 APA headings. For instance, use the Level 2 APA heading Interview Participants to mark the section where you describe each participant and the heading Survey Participants where you use a table to describe the demographic information of the survey participants. Remember, Chapter Four is written in past tense.

For the qualitative data collection piece or pieces, provide a description or portrait of each individual who participated in the study (using pseudonyms). Pseudonyms must be presented using the appropriate title of the participant such as principal, teacher, parent, legal guardian, student, etc. For example, if you interview one administrator and four teachers, then your participant pseudonyms would be administrator one, teacher one, teacher two, teacher three, and teacher four. For the quantitative piece or pieces, include demographic information in narrative form regarding the age, ethnicity, gender, occupation, grade level, etc. of your sample. For example, 30 teachers were surveyed. Their average age was 32.5 years old. There were 26 females and 4 males, etc.

Results

This section must be organized according to research sub-questions. Begin with a Level 1 Results heading. Under the Results heading, begin with a paragraph that generally restates the data collection procedures.

For example:

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers from XYZ High School in order to find themes related to their experiences teaching at this school. Several themes emerged from the qualitative analysis. Second, a focus group was conducted with teachers in order to find themes related to their experiences at this school. Finally, a quantitative survey was administered to measured teacher satisfaction and was used to corroborate the themes.

Following the Results section, organize your research sub-questions and corresponding themes. Your research should generate between three and five themes. For example:

Sub-question 1

Sub-question one for this study was, “How would administrators in an interview solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?” Interviews were conducted with administrators from XYZ High School in order to find themes related to teacher burnout at their school. The themes uncovered in the qualitative analysis were … [expand on the themes] …etc… In addition to the narrative presentation of the data, you must also present the data in the form of qualitative tables such as those including (1) open codes and themes and (2) frequency codes across qualitative data points.

Table 1

shows an examples of codes and the frequency of the codes.

Table 1

Frequency of Codes

Codes

Frequency

Learn about home environment/home interactions
Genuine/real/true/heart of people
Excited kindergartners
To build relationships
Fun/enjoyable
A way to welcome/comfort students
Child/parent/family-lead
Can change previous bad experience of formal schooling for families
Food was served
Played games
Sense of pride for kindergartner
Positive
Informal
Anxious staff
Did not take place in the home
Not about school topics
To get to know child/family
Differentiated experiences based on family
Made a connection
Short
Helps to relate to students
Shifts power from teacher to family
Shows teacher cares
Take safety of teacher into consideration
Changed teacher’s preconceived notions
Plan the visit/no unannounced home visit
Part of the school culture
Personal

38
33
31
22
18
16
15
14
12
11
11
10
9
8
8
8
8
7
7
7
5
5
5
5
4
4
2
2

Theme #1. The theme should be specified, and participant quotes should be included that support theme development. Include both qualitative and quantitative data to support themes where applicable.

Theme #2. Etc. . . .

Theme #3. Etc. . . .

Sub-question 2

Sub-question two for this study was, “How would educators in a focus group solve the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?” Etc. . . .

Theme #1. The theme should be specified, and participant quotes should be included that support theme development. Include both qualitative and quantitative data to support themes where applicable.

Theme #2. Etc. . . .
Theme #3. Etc. . . .

Sub-question 3

Sub-question two for this study was, “How would quantitative survey data inform the problem of teacher burnout at XYZ High School located in central Georgia?”

Theme #1. The theme should be specified, and participant quotes should be included that support theme development. Include both qualitative and quantitative data to support themes where applicable.
Theme #2. Etc. . . .
Theme #3. Etc. . . .

Note: The central research question will be answered in Chapter Five.
Discussion

The purpose of this section is to discuss the study findings in relationship to the empirical and theoretical literature reviewed in Chapter Two. This is a critical section where you present yourself as an emerging scholar among your peers. This section should be a detailed examination of all major topics covered in Chapter Two, and you should position your own findings alongside those of existing perspectives and studies. The empirical and theoretical literature discussions must be written under their own APA Level 2 headings. How does your study confirm or corroborate previous research? How does your study diverge from or extend on previous research? How does your study extend or shed new light on solving the problem?

Summary

Provide a chapter summary. The Summary includes a succinct conclusion to the chapter.

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION

Overview

Restatement of the Problem

In a concise paragraph, restate the problem (explain the problem. Do not simply restate the problem statement). Reference the Problem Statement section in Chapter One; however, this will now be written in past tense and may be influenced by the results.

Proposed Solution to the Central Question

In this section, provide a detailed solution for the problem by answering the central question in detail. The section must include a description of the solution itself, the goals of the solution, a scholarly rationale of why the solution was chosen based on the themes developed in the Results section of Chapter Four, including considerations of the literature from Chapter Two, and a scholarly rationale of how the problem will be addressed through the solution.

Resources Needed

Describe the resources needed to generate the solution. Include possible means of procuring the needed resources and potential barriers.

Funds Needed

Describe the funds needed to generate the solution. Include possible sources of revenue and potential barriers to those resources.

Roles and Responsibilities

Describe the various roles needed to lead and implement the solution. Include possible personnel implications (new hires, training/retraining, certifications, etc.). Describe specific responsibilities assigned to each role. For example: “In order to help with retention of teachers at XYZ High School, it is recommended that additional support staff be hired. Additional support staff would include… etc… and their primary function would be to… etc.”

Timeline

Provide both a general narrative overview and a bulleted list of a timeline needed to resolve the problem. The bulleted list can be placed as an appendix.

Solution Implications

The purpose of this section is to provide a clear explanation of both positive and negative implications of the solution. Examine and explain potential benefits and pitfalls of all aspects of the chapter content (resources, funds, roles/responsibilities, timeline, etc.). Include specific recommendations for various stakeholders, such as policy makers, administrators, teachers, parents, etc., to address the implications.

Evaluation Plan

Provide a detailed plan to assess the effectiveness of the solution to the problem. Describe the type of evaluation that will be conducted (goal-based, outcomes-based, formative or summative). The plan must provide justification for using this type of evaluation. Include who is responsible for this assessment, how it will be conducted, and what criterion or standards will be used. Evaluation plans should also include delimitations and limitations related to the research. Delimitations are purposeful decisions the researcher makes to limit or define the boundaries of the study. Describe the rationale behind decisions made to limit or define the scope and focus of the study. Limitations are potential weaknesses of the study that cannot be controlled. They may be related to the design, the analysis, or the sample (e.g., gender, age, ethnicity, etc.). In consideration of the study findings, limitations, and the delimitations placed on the study, provide multiple recommendations and directions for future research to help solve the problem.

Summary

Provide a summary of the study. From your Solution Implications section, reiterate what you consider to be the one or two most important “take-aways” from the results of your research (you may consider including an anecdotal illustration). If your project was implemented prior to your dissertation defense, include an epilogue including the impact, execution, etc., of the research.

REFERENCES

All the references cited within the text should be listed in accordance with the most recent edition of the Publication Manual of APA. The reference page title should be capitalized, bold, and centered.

APPENDIX or APPENDICES

The Appendix must include a variety of artifacts. The appendix must include the IRB application (replace with the approval letter for the complete dissertation), informed consent/assent forms, surveys/questionnaires/instruments, protocols (interviews or observations), sample transcripts of interviews, theoretical memos, and other documents used to establish an audit trail. Any identifying or personal information (names, schools, districts, phone numbers, email addresses) should be eliminated. All documents pertinent to the implementation of the project should also be included. Each artifact should have a section labeled as Appendix A, Appendix B, etc. Each appendix must be addressed in the narrative text. The appendix title should be capitalized, bold, and centered.

DISSERTATION PROCESS
The idea of completing a dissertation can be overwhelming. In fact, the process seems so

threatening to some Doctoral Students that they never begin or finish their dissertation.

It is helpful to disregard the dissertation as one enormous journey, but consider it a
series of steps.

For practical purposes, HSOG conceptualizes the dissertation process as having the
following steps:

1. Select a topic: this occurs through the process of the student’s chosen cognate
and/or other courses in the degree.

2. Chair and Committee selection process: students will be assigned a chair and

reader as part of their chosen research path/cognate and will also have some
opportunity to solicit a chair and reader of their preference.

3. Complete the proposal

4. Defend the proposal

5. Obtain approval by the Internal Review Board (IRB)
6. Conduct the research

7. Complete the final chapters

8. Submit the entire dissertation for final approval
9. Obtain a professional editor to review for form and style

10. Defend the dissertation

11. Submit the final dissertation and resubmit for further professional editorial
review if further changes were made to the document post defense.

Below is an overview of how the dissertation process fits within the Student’s degree
completion plan:

CJUS/PADM/PLCY 885 Comprehensive Exam & Research Concept
In this course the student completes the comprehensive exam and writes a paper which serves as a “proto –
dissertation”.
CJUS/PADM/PLCY 987 Dissertation I Proposal (Chapters 1-2)
This course is the first step for doctoral candidates in the process of developing and completing their research
study and dissertation. Doctoral candidates will develop Section 1, which includes the Foundation of the Study,
to include a detailed Literature Review relevant to the proposed research study.

CJUS/PADM/PLCY 988 Dissertation II Chapter 3 & Proposal
This course is the second step for doctoral candidates to develop and complete their dissertation. Doctoral
candidates will develop Section 2, which includes their methodology for conducting the study, and combine it
with Section 1 into a single document. Candidates will also complete and submit their IRB package to complete
their proposal defense.

CJUS/PADM/PLCY 989 Dissertation III Chapters 4-5
This course is the final step in developing the dissertation manuscript. Doctoral candidates will conduct their
field study, analyze their data, and present their findings and develop Section 3 of their dissertation. Candidates
will combine all three sections into their completed dissertation manuscript in preparation for their dissertation
defense.
CJUS/PADM/PLCY 990 Dissertation IV Dissertation Defense
This course is the last step in the doctoral program. Doctoral candidates will defend their dissertation and finalize
their dissertation manuscript for publication.

Chapter

Crime,
Criminal
Justice, and
Scientific
Inquiry

Learning Objectives

• Understand why knowledge of research methods
is valuable to criminal justice professionals.

• Describe the different ways we know things.
• Distinguish inquiry as a natural human activity

from inquiry through systematic empirical
research.

• Recognize that much of our knowledge is based
on agreement rather than on direct experience.

• Explain how tradition and authority are important
sources of knowledge.

Learning Objectives, cont.

• Understand the role of experience and systematic
observation in criminal justice research.

• Recognize that social science guards against, but
does not prevent, political beliefs from affecting
research findings.

• Distinguish the different purposes of research.
• Understand how to design a research project.
• Be able to conduct a review of research literature.
• Describe how to write a research proposal.

Why Study Research Methods?

• Criminal Justice professionals are both
consumers and producers of research

• It is important for Criminal Justice
professionals to be informed consumers
of research

• Need to understand findings and how to
apply those findings to his or her
department

Two Realities

• Experiential reality – The things we know from
direct experience (e.g., learning that a burner
is hot by touching a stove)

• Agreement reality – Things we consider real
because we have been told they are real, and
everyone agrees (e.g., sun sets in the West)

• Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment
revealed the agreement reality that simply
increasing patrols decreased crime was
misleading

The Role of Science

• Empirical research – Knowledge produced
based on experience or observation

• Scientists have certain criteria to be met when
accepting experiential and agreement realities
• An assertion must have both logical and empirical

support

• Methodology – The science of finding out

Personal Human Inquiry

• Future circumstances are caused or
conditioned by present ones

• We use causal and probabilistic reasoning

• The goal is to understand why certain things
are related, why patterns occur, to enable us
to make more accurate predictions

Secondhand Knowledge

• Tradition – Things that “everybody knows”
• Ex: Driving on the left side of the road in the US is

dangerous

• Authority – Trusting the judgment of someone
with special expertise
• Ex: You are more likely to believe a judge regarding

your driver’s license suspension than your parents

• Both provide us with a starting point for our
own inquiry

Discussion Question 1

Tradition and Authority are two ways in
which people ascertain knowledge.
Discuss the possible biases or
shortcomings that may be associated with
each method of conveying knowledge.

Safeguarding Against Errors

• Inaccurate Observation – Overcome by
using measurement devices

• Overgeneralization – Overcome by
replicating the study to see if you get the
same results

• Selective Observation – Specify in
advance the number and types of
observations

Safeguarding Against Errors, cont.

• Illogical Reasoning – Use systems of
logic, consciously and explicitly

• Ideology and Politics – Guard against its
influence

• To Err is Human – Take precautions to
avoid error

Discussion Question 2

What are some ways to safeguard yourself
from common errors in human inquiry
while you are conducting research?

Purpose of Research: Exploration

• Examine an issue or policy about which little is known

• Might also collect data on some measure to serve as a
baseline for later comparisons

• Appropriate when some type of policy change is being
considered

• May be simple or complex and can use a variety of
methods

Purpose of Research: Description

• Observe and describe the scope of a problem or policy
response

• Make more accurate and formal observations

• Often concerned with counting or documenting
observations; exploratory studies focus more on
developing a preliminary understanding
• Example: US Census, UCR

• Following exploration, we want to know the problem’s
frequency/prevalence/degree/scope

Purpose of Research: Explanation

• Explain things – answers “why?”

• Why have we seen a certain change in scope?

• Why does a certain problem exist?
• Ex: Why do some people write computer viruses?,

Why do some people assault their spouses?

Purpose of Research: Application

• Applied research is often used to evaluate the
effects of specific criminal justice programs

• Two major types of applied research:
• Evaluation research – Comparing program goals to

results

• Policy analysis – Prospective – Anticipate future
consequences of alternative actions

Discussion Question 3

Name four studies that can be examples of
each purpose of research: exploration,
description, explanation, and application.

Thinking about the Research Process

• One of the most difficult parts of the research
process is framing your interest into a
research question.

• Researchers often have to rework or clarify
research problems as they learn more about a
topic

• Researchers should begin with their own
experiences and observations and then learn
more about the existing research

The Research Process

• Conceptualize: specify what is to be
studied

• Operate: perform concrete steps to
measure specific concepts

• Observe: collect empirical data
• Analyze: draw conclusions from the data
• Apply: apply conclusions to original

inquiries

Reviewing the Literature

• Tells you what is know and what is unknown

• Keep notes of articles as you review them

• Begin with a book or article on your topic

• This is your source document

• Find sources that are cited in the source
document and find other sources that have
cited your source document

How to Read Scholarly Research

• Reading an article
• Start with the abstract – It will tell you if the article is

relevant to your study

• Next, read the summary and conclusions

• Skim the article paying attention to headings, tables
and graphs

• Carefully read the entire article

• Ask for help if you do not understand the article

How to Read Scholarly Research, cont.

• Reading a book-length report
• Start with the preface — It will tell you if the article

is relevant to your study

• Skim the book paying attention to the organization,
headings, tables, graphs, and major findings

• Read it closely while taking notes

• If you decide to read the book, repeat the process
with each chapter

The Research Proposal

• Research proposals describe the
activities planned and include a budget
and timeline

• Certain agencies might have specific
requirements for a proposal

• Almost every proposal include some
basic elements

Basic Elements of a Research Proposal

• Problem or Objective — Describes what will be
studied

• Literature Review — Summarizes the prior research
on the topic

• Research Questions — Specifies what the research
will answer

• Subjects for Study — Whom or what will be studied

• Measurement — Identifies the key variables of the
study

Basic Elements of a Research Proposal, cont.

• Data Collection Methods — Explains how
observations will be collected

• Analysis — Specifies how the observations will be
analyzed

• References — List of materials consulted and cited in
the proposal

• Schedule — A timeline for the various stages of the
proposal

• Budget — Specifies where money to support the
research will be spent

2019-06-13

DISSERTATION

MANUAL
Ph.D. in Criminal Justice

Ph.D. in Public Policy
Doctorate in Public Administration

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2 HSOG Dissertation Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

From the Program Directors

I. Introduction

II. Overview of the Dissertation Process

III. Planning & Budgeting of the Dissertation Process

IV. Formatting & Style

V. Steps in the Dissertation Process

VI. Components of the Completed Dissertation

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3 HSOG Dissertation Guide

FROM THE PH.D. PROGRAM DIRECTORS

Dear Doctoral Candidate:

Congratulations on reaching this final stage of your Doctoral journey! You began this

journey several years ago and step after step completed all of your coursework and

Comprehensive Examination Now you face the capstone of the Doctor of Philosophy
Program: the dissertation.

Even before Students arrive at the landmark dissertation stage, they have many
questions about the dissertation and the process by which they complete one. To

address these overarching issues, the Helms School of Government developed this

dissertation guide.

It is our hope that this process will prepare you for a lifetime of meaningful research

and scholarship that not only evidences the knowledge and skills you have ascertained
in this program, but, more importantly, reflects the Heart of Christ for justice, advocacy,

mercy, and healing for all of mankind.

May God bless you with all that you need to flourish abundantly as you conduct you r

research and write your dissertation. Our prayers are with you!

Dr. Joel Cox, Chair of Criminal Justice, Helms School of Government Online.

Dr. Kahlib Fischer, Online Chair, Helms School of Government
Dr. Doug Orr, Criminal Justice Program Director

Dr. Timothy P. O’Brien, Public Policy Program Director
Dr. Harry McGinnis , Public Administration Program Director

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4 HSOG Dissertation Guide

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose

The purpose of this document is to assist Criminal Justice, Public Policy, and Public

Administration Doctoral Students in completing their dissertation at Liberty University.

The best academic tradition and professional practice requires the University to prepare
Doctoral Students to conduct Doctoral dissertation research that suits them for a

lifetime of meaningful empirical and scholarly endeavors that impact society. Because
the completed dissertation is a publication of Liberty University, the Helms School of

Government must maintain high standards concerning the form and appearance of

dissertations and require that all work by each student conforms to those standards.

This guide sets forth those standards and provides a set of directives for Doctoral

Students as they journey through the dissertation process. This guide is also intended to
serve as an aid to faculty involved in Chairing Candidate’s dissertations. It provides an

overview of the dissertation process and describes, in broad terms, the roles and

responsibilities of the Student, Committee Chairperson, and other

Committee Members.

Moreover, this guide provides pertinent information about the content and style of the

dissertation document and describes the processes for document approval and final
publication of the dissertation. Doctoral Students should refer to this guide and follow

its direction as they plan for and prepare their dissertation and whenever submitting

materials to their Committee. The Committee Chairperson is responsible to the
University for the structure, content, and final submission of the document for

publication and has the ultimate authority in the Committee on these matters. This

guide is intended to support Students and faculty at Liberty University through the
essential processes of writing and defending the Student’s dissertation.

B. The Authority of this Dissertation Manual

This version of the dissertation guide supersedes all previous editions of the

dissertation manual. Students who are in the process of writing their final chapters,
however, may continue under the former guidelines.

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5 HSOG Dissertation Guide

II. OVERVIEW OF THE DISSERTATION PROCESS

A. Background to the Dissertation

The dissertation is the culminating activity of a Doctoral Student’s degree and

represents the Student’s original contribution to the professional literature. It provides

an opportunity to focus on a single, carefully defined area of interest within the
Student’s field of study. The dissertation is a scholarly document intended to

demonstrate the research competence of the author and to produce greater
understanding of their chosen field of study. The dissertation is to be written in the

formal language and style of the author’s discipline or field of study, and presents the

results of a comprehensive, logical, and ethical investigation. The dissertation is an
extension of published research that involves the acquisition, analysis, and

interpretation of new data. It is based upon the assumption that there exists one or more

of these elements:

 An internal reality that can be sampled, observed, measured, and analyzed.

 An internal phenomenological reality that can be described in sufficient detail by

the person experiencing it.

 A social or organizational reality that can be derived by examination of its

structure or communicated through its participants’ reports.

Regardless of the underlying assumption, the dissertation should address an important
problem that is feasibly studied within the Student’s field. The dissertation study must

be carried out through the application of accepted methods and procedures appropriate
to the stated problem. The dissertation is not just descriptive; it must be of a sound

extant basis or a well- developed conceptual basis that leads to the question(s) under

investigation. This basis serves as the origin for conclusions and inferences that lead to
further research, for enhanced theoretical understanding, and for recommendations for

organizational improvement.

All Doctoral Candidates must submit an approved dissertation to satisfy part of the

requirements for their degree. The dissertation must be based on original research that

has been approved by the Student’s dissertation Committee. The main aim of the
dissertation is to encourage independent study and to provide a foundation for future

original research and scholarship that impacts the content field and, ultimately, society.

In terms of learning, the dissertation should offer the opportunity to develop research
skills, demonstrate mastery of a specified topic, and contribute to the body of

knowledge.

Dissertations can be divided into two general classifications based upon their purpose:

(a) inquiry-oriented studies that have as their purpose to investigate a certain problem

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6 HSOG Dissertation Guide

and (b) action-oriented studies that have as their purpose to bring about change or
improvement in the area of the problem.

Regardless of the type of dissertation chosen, completing a dissertation tests many of
the talents expected of Doctoral Candidates such as independent thought, judgment,

critical thinking faculties, knowledge of their field, research ability, organization,

writing style, and verbal presentation. The dissertation requires the Student to research
and evaluate relevant reference materials to formulate pertinent question and/or

hypotheses, to construct an appropriate research design that answers those questions

and/or hypotheses, and to present findings in the form of a coherent scholarly
manuscript of appropriate format. There are many aids to this process available to the

Student, but in the final analysis the Doctora l Student is ultimately responsible for
successfully completing all steps of the dissertation process.

The decision as to whether the Student has met the necessary qualifications to earn the
degree rests with the Committee as a whole as well as the members of that committee

alone. The selection and working relationship with the Committee is crucial to the

successful outcome of the dissertation process. It is critical, therefore, that the Student
understands the desires and demands of each Committee member and adheres to the

standards in this guide.

B. History of the Dissertation

The tradition of writing a dissertation as part of Doctoral study dates back to the late
Middle Ages in European universities that were at the forefront of academic and

scientific thought. Many of their traditions surrounding dissertation writing are still

respected today. The dissertation as a genre emerged from the oral culture of medieval
graduate education which emphasized mastery of ancient philosophies and evolved

into a public recognition of original scientific investigation in pre- World War I
Germany. University scholars enlisted graduate Students to facilitate and record their

research. Modeled from the original research report, the dissertation became a sine qua

non, an essential element, for acquiring the Doctoral degree.

James Morris Whiton wrote the first dissertation in the United States at Yale University

in 1861. His study of the proverb “Brevis vita, ars longa” contained six pages written in
Latin. Fifteen years later, a total of 83 dissertations had been written in the US. The rate

of dissertations rose modestly from the turn of the twentieth century until the early

1950s when the number of dissertations recorded increased exponentially. In 2004, over
32,000 dissertations were recorded in the University Microfiche Incorporated (UMI)

ProQuest database. Among the two million dissertations written since Whiton’s, the

structure and expectation of the dissertation remains an instantiation of the scientific
method: background, method, analysis, and conclusions.

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C. Dissertation Outline & Criteria

1. Chapter One. Introduction

 The introduction adequately establishes the background and context of the

study;

 The problem statement is adequately articulated, supported with research,

and amenable to the investigation;

 The justification of purpose and significance is integrated with the problem

statement and makes an adequate case for conducting the research;

 The nature of the research design adequately describes and is appropriate to

the stated problem;

 The research questions and/or hypotheses are sta ted in answerable or

testable form and are appropriate to the stated problem;

 The relevant assumptions and limitations have been

identified;

 All technical terms have been adequately defined and explained, and

 Summary.

2. Chapter Two. Literature Review

 The literature review establishes an adequate theoretical framework for the

study;

 The literature review examines current empirical, theoretical, and relevant

literature associated with key variables of the problem;

 In areas where literature that directly addresses the topic is limited, current

literature in related fields is used to build a rationale for the problem;

 The literature review cites appropriate research literature to defend the

selection of research design and procedures for this study; and

 Summary.

3. Chapter Three. Methods

 The research design is adequately described and justified;

 The relationships between the problem, the research questions/hypotheses,

design and methods are defended;

 The description of the population/sample and/or participant selection

procedures is adequate;

 All the constructs involved are operationalized;

 The data processing and analysis procedures are appropriate in light of the

study’s design and hypotheses; and

 Summary.

4. Chapter Four. Data Analysis and Results:

 The data have been analyzed using the appropriate techniques as described

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8 HSOG Dissertation Guide

in the methods chapter;

 The analyses are performed and presented correctly;

 The results address the hypotheses and/or questions; and

 Summary.

5. Chapter Five. Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations:

 The findings are discussed in terms of research problem, conceptual

framework, and research questions/hypotheses;

 All the relevant conclusions that can be drawn from the analysis are

identified;

 Findings are clearly placed within the context of the current literature

 The recommendations for future research directions and practice a re

identified and justified;

 The general conclusions are warranted in light of the results and current

literature;

 The ramifications and implications for practice are appropriate; and

 Summary.

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9 HSOG Dissertation Guide

D. The Dissertation and Degree Completion Plan

Below is an overview of how the dissertation process fits within the Student’s degree

completion plan:

CJUS/PADM/PLCY 885 Comprehensive Exam &
Research Concept

In this course the student completes the comprehensive exam and writes a paper which serves
as a “proto-dissertation”.

CJUS/PADM/PLCY 987 Dissertation I Proposal (Chapters 1-2)

This course is the first step for doctoral candidates in the process of developing and completing
their research study and dissertation. Doctoral candidates will develop Section 1, which
includes the Foundation of the Study, to include a detailed Literature Review relevant to the
proposed research study.

CJUS/PADM/PLCY 988 Dissertation II Chapter 3 & Proposal
This course is the second step for doctoral candidates to develop and complete their

dissertation. Doctoral candidates will develop Section 2, which includes their methodology for
conducting the study, and combine it with Section 1 into a single document. Candidates will
also complete and submit their IRB package to complete their proposal defense.

CJUS/PADM/PLCY 989 Dissertation III Chapters 4-5

This course is the final step in developing the dissertation manuscript. Doctoral candidates
will conduct their field study, analyze their data, and present their findings and develop
Section 3 of their dissertation. Candidates will combine all three sections into their completed
dissertation manuscript in preparation for their

dissertation defense.

CJUS/PADM/PLCY 990 Dissertation IV Dissertation Defense

This course is the last step in the doctoral program. Doctoral candidates will defend their
dissertation and finalize their dissertation manuscript for publication.

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10 HSOG Dissertation Guide

III. PLANNING & BUDGETING OF THE DISSERTATION PROCESS

A. Guiding Thoughts

The dissertation is a major undertaking and there are several general considerations and

expenses that the Student should keep in mind during the planning stage. These
include time, money, and additional skills (such as test administration, statistical

analysis, editing, or transcription for qualitative research) that the Student may need to
learn/pay for in order to complete the dissertation research. The Student is advised to

begin financial planning as soon as possible.

Managing time appropriately is important if Doctoral Candidates want to graduate on a
certain date. A written detailed project plan is highly encouraged. In planning a timeline

for the completion of the dissertation, Students should consider their personal time
limitations and the time constraints of Committee Members. Normally, a Committee

member requires at least two weeks in order to adequately review Student submissions.

This timeline, however, can be influenced by a number of events. In other words, it is
important to keep faculty schedules in mind when submitting materials for review. The

student shall solicit chair and reader buy in with respect to review turnaround times.

Both parties shall agree to the timeline. If the Student believes that the Committee
Chair or other Committee Members are being negligent in responsibilities, it is the

Student’s responsibility to discuss the matter with them. If an agreement cannot be

reached, the Student may appeal to the Ph.D. Director(s), the Department Chair(s), or
the Helms School of Government Online Associate Dean.

Students submit chapters as they are completed in order to allow the Chair or
Committee Members to provide timely feedback. While waiting, the Student can

continue to work on subsequent chapters. Ultimately, the Committee will decide when

the document is complete and ready to defend. Their decision is based on the quality of
each part of the manuscript as well as the entirety of the design itself. No other

deadlines or priorities will supersede this responsibility. Should the Committee
determine that the document is not ready to defend, the student will be assigned a

grade designation of “Progress”, allowing the student to continue fine-tuning the final

product. This includes both the dissertation proposal and the completed dissertation in
its entirety.

B. The Use of Assistance in the Dissertation Process

It is not unusual for the Doctoral Candidate to enlist the assistance of research

methodologist consultants in the course of dissertation research and document
preparation for the purposes of ensuring that the research methodology of the study is

sound. Although Candidates must make decisions on how to best utilize their time, and

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how much to use the skills of others, they never relinquish the responsibility for the
process or the product of the research.

The Student is responsible for knowing every aspect of the research and is answerable
to the Committee for the ethical behavior, procedures, accuracy, interpretation, and

integrity of the results. The Student must not include anything in the dissertation that

s/he cannot describe, understand, justify, and explain to the Committee. The Student
must be in control of the research and dissertation, and cannot defer to experts or hired assistants
without a complete understanding of the reasons, procedures to be used, and appropriate
interpretation of the results from these outside efforts. The Committee must be completely

convinced that the Student has a firm grasp on the research and has taken measures to

ensure accuracy.

Many Doctoral Students find it helpful to employ a research methodologist consultant

at various points throughout their research and dissertation. These consultants can
assist Students with the research questions, design, data collection procedures, and

statistical procedures necessary for the dissertation proposal. Statistical consultants can

also assist Students in statistical analysis and interpretation. If Students wish to use a
consultant, they should discuss this with the Committee Chair first, and then with other

Members of the Committee. Whether or not a consultant is used, students must

understand that they must be able to explain and defend their chosen methodologies as
part of their proposal and defense. The consultant will not be available as a resource in

either the proposal or final dissertation defense; moreover, students must be prepared

to answer detailed questions about methodological approaches. Failure to demonstrate
sufficient awareness and understanding of methodology will delay the approval

process.

One consultant Students must employ is a professional editor who is also an expert in

the following formatting styles, dependent upon the doctoral program:

 APA for the Criminal Justice and Public Administration doctoral programs

 Turabian for the Public Policy doctoral program.

Please note that heretofore, the above styles are assumed in the rest of this guide for

their respective program.

Committee Members should be able to review your work w/out being distracted by

spelling, grammar, and writing errors. Remember that the dissertation will be published

in the Student’s name but will also include the names of Committee Members. Each
person’s reputation is intractably tied to the quality of the completed dissertation. Students are

responsible to pay for this service. The use of an editor will be money well spent in order

to ensure that the dissertation is both well-written and consistent with the appropriate
format writing standards. Students are free to select an editor of their choice. However,

the final dissertation product shall have a ready-for-publication appearance.

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IV. FORMATTING & STYLE

A. Basics

 The margins for all chapters of the dissertation are: 1 inch at the top and bottom,

1 inch on the right side, and 1 inch on the left side. Text should be Times New

Roman, 12-point font.

 Text within the body of the manuscript should be left justified and double

spaced throughout the document with page numbers in the upper right-hand

corner.

 Page numbering should be Arabic, with no number on the title page.

 All manuscripts should follow the latest version of the appropriate style manual.

For further information consult the Thesis and Dissertation and Publishing

Guides.

 Students are responsible to give one bound copy of their dissertation to the

Helms School of government. Information about binding and publication is via
the Library site.

B. Style, Additional

 Broadly speaking, the dissertation is a scholarly document written for

professionals in their specific field of study.

 A dissertation typically ranges from 125 to 200 pages of text with some exceeding

400 pages and contains a thorough literature review that is typically 30 to 75

pages in length depending on the topic and amount of previous research.

 The dissertation should follow the most recent edition of the appropriate style

guide. However, the formatting guidelines and the templates for the dissertation
outlined in this handbook need to be followed where specified.

 It is highly recommended that candidates retain their textbooks from their

previous statistics and research methods courses as these can be very useful

guides in the development of their project and identification of appropriate

statistical analyses to use.

C. Academic Honesty

Liberty University considers academic honesty and integrity to be one of its highest

values. The dissertation should represent an original contribution to the knowledge

base of the Student’s field of study. Students are accountable for conducting original
research that leads to the discovery of new information that informs policy or

theoretical improvement. Thus, they are expected to submit original work. The reuse of

end-of- course essays or reports, master’s theses, or Doctoral research conducted

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elsewhere is prohibited. While citing previous work, Students should treat their
previous submission and publications as they would any other work cited according to

the current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological

Association. This is described in greater detail below.

Students must cite the ideas and work of others appropriately and according to current

APA format. Properly crediting others’ scholarly work is an ethical imperative for all
academics and one that demonstrates an author’s own integrity. The same principles

that guide expectations of academic honestly and integrity in coursework hold true for

the dissertation.

The Chair of the Doctoral Committee may require a Student to submit his/ her

dissertation at any stage of the writing process through plagiarism detection software.
The consequences of apparent academic dishonesty are given to the Doctoral

Committee Chair and the Committee for their discretion. For more information on the
University’s policies regarding academic dishonesty, please refer to the Student honor

code and plagiarism/academic integrity policies found here.

Back to the Table of Contents

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V. STEPS IN THE DISSERTATION PROCESS

A. Overview

The idea of completing a dissertation can be overwhelming. In fact, the process seems so

threatening to some Doctoral Students that they never begin or finish their dissertation.

 Remember the strong encouragement to use a detailed project plan from earlier

in this guide.

 It is helpful to disregard the dissertation as one enormous journey, but consider

it a series of steps.

For practical purposes, HSOG conceptualizes the dissertation process as having the

following steps:

1. Select a topic: this occurs through the process of the student’s chosen cognate

and/or other courses in the degree.
2. Chair and Committee selection process: students will be assigned a chair and

reader as part of their chosen research path/cognate and will also have some

opportunity to solicit a chair and reader of their preference.
3. Complete the proposal

4. Defend the proposal

5. Obtain approval by the Internal Review Board (IRB)

6. Conduct the research
7. Complete the final chapters

8. Submit the entire dissertation for final approval

9. Obtain a professional editor to review for form and style
10. Defend the dissertation

11. Submit the final dissertation and resubmit for further professional editorial

review if further changes were made to the document post defense.

B. Step 1: Select a Topic

Without a doubt, selecting a topic is one of the most difficult aspects of the dissertation

process. The key, in this regard, is choosing a topic that will sustain the Student’s

interest and attention over a period of 6 to 18 months—the average length of time to
complete most dissertations. Moreover, topics should not be too broad, too vague, too

grand, or too global. Once a topic is selected, the Student will create a one-page,

succinct summary of the research question and method to present to a potential Chair.
Finally, topics should be relevant to the field of counseling with the goal of extending

the empirical literature in meaningful ways that impact real people, policies,

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organizations, and society at large.

C. Step 2: Obtain a Dissertation Committee Chair

The second step in the dissertation process is for dissertation Committee Chair person

assignment (if not already done). The research interests of the student will be matched

as close as possible to the research interest of the potential committee chair. The
dissertation assignment portal must be used to start the dissertation-oriented courses.

Given the importance of the Chairperson as it relates the success of a dissertation, the

Doctoral Student should discuss their research ideas with their committee chair soon
after assignment. The Doctoral Dissertation Committee is comprised of two Members:

the Dissertation Chair (not school chairperson) and one faculty Reader.

D. Dissertation Chairperson’s Role and Responsibilities

Dissertation Chairpersons are vitally important to the success of Students working on

their dissertation. The Chair of the Dissertation Committee is the liaison for the Student,

Committee, and the school. The Chair guides and supports the Doctoral Candidate as
he or she develops and demonstrates competencies in critical thinking, analysis,

synthesis, and integration of relevant theories and research.

The Chair reviews the ideas of the student and assists HSOG administration in

developing a cogent committee of the remaining Committee positions, guides and

supports the Student through the Candidacy Exam, supervises the design and research,
and oversees the completion of the dissertation manuscript. The Chair provides

feedback on the Student’s writing and research skills and refers the Student to

additional support and resources within the University when those skills need further
development.

During the dissertation process, the Student and Chair will be engaged in collaborative
efforts involving the communication skills of writing and discussing. The Chair must

ensure that the Comprehensive Exam, the Proposal, and the completed dissertation

comply with all criteria used to evaluate acceptable scholar-practitioner work at the
Doctoral level. This includes, but is not limited to: the content, structure, format, style,

and ethical guidelines. The Chair is the focal point for communication between the
Committee Member and the Student and facilitates the pace and flow of all meetings.

The Chair should clearly communicate to the Student, all University and HSOG

expectations concerning procedures for completing the dissertation research project and
the Doctoral degree. The primary form of communication shall be email. However, the

Chair should set up several regular phone conferences as appropriate. It is

recommended that phone conversations/webinars be summarized via email to ensure
shared understanding.

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E. Chair Eligibility & Duties

A Chair is a residential or online LU employee who has earned a relevant doctoral

degree. The Dissertation Chair mentors the doctoral candidate through the scientific

peer review process involved in dissertations in the social and behavioral sciences. Peer
review is an essential component for any doctoral study that could potentially be

published in a scholarly journal in these fields. Specifically, the Chair mentors the
doctoral candidate in the

following ways:

1. Instructs on the development of a proposal document.

a. Reviews drafts

b. Provides feedback until an acceptable document for a proposal defense is
developed

2. Consults with the Reader regarding the proposal document in order to obtain

feedback (peer review).
3. Prepares the candidate for the proposal defense.

4. Directs the dissertation committee questioning process during the proposal

defense
5. Provides feedback on any needed adjustments to the candidate’s study design or

literature review following the proposal defense.

6. Gives feedback on ethical aspects and final approval of the candidate’s IRB
application.

7. Addresses any student questions or issues that arise during the student’s study

implementation.
8. Instructs on the development of a dissertation document

a. Reviews drafts

b. Provides feedback until an acceptable document for a dissertation defense
is developed.

9. Consults with the Reader regarding the dissertation document to obtain

feedback (peer review).
10. Prepares the candidate for the dissertation defense

11. Directs the dissertation committee questioning process during the dissertation

defense.
12. Determines, along with the Reader (peer review), whether the candidate’s work

is sufficient to pass the dissertation defense.

13. Provides feedback on any needed adjustments to the candidate’s interpretation
of study findings.

14. Oversees the final manuscript submission process to the library.

15. When appropriate, assists the student in developing an article submission to a
scholarly journal.

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F. Committee Member/Reader Role & Responsibilities

A Dissertation Reader is typically is a residential or online LU faculty member with a

relevant doctoral degree. With program chair approval, a specialized subject expert not
employed by Liberty University may be considered. A Non-Liberty University

employee may also be considered in the case of work flow needs.

Committee Members provide content, technical, organizational, ethical, and

administrative guidance for the Student in the dissertation process. The dissertation

Committee Members work collaboratively with the Committee Chairperson to guide the
Student in the development and advancement of academic skills. Once the Committee

Members have been approved by the dissertation Committee Chair and the Members
have agreed to participate on the Committee, the Student will need to complete the

process. This process will be completed in our online dissertation portal, where further

instructions are provided.

To this end, the dissertation Committee should form a collective of subject matter and

methodological experts that coincide with the topic under investigation and the
methods proposed. The Committee Member is available to Students throughout the

dissertation process to provide counsel relevant to the study and consistent with their

expertise via email. At the discretion of the Committee Member, a phone conference or
webinar may be scheduled. The Committee Members must hold earned doctorates. The

Committee Member evaluates the dissertation proposal and manuscript to ensure that

the work meets rigorous academic standards for quality and that the Student meets the
guidelines for ethical research, academic honesty, and academic writing and

presentation.

A Reader assists in the scientific peer review process involved in dissertations in the

following ways:

1. Reviews carefully the proposal document to assess whether the doctoral

candidate is ready to defend the proposal.

a. Provides feedback to the student and Chair regarding the proposal
b. Informs the Chair when there are critical issues that must be resolved

before the proposal defense to prevent a potential failure

2. Participates in the proposal defense as a scientific peer reviewer

a. Asks questions in the proposal defense to assess the student’s competency

and the merits of moving forward with

the study.

b. Provides the student and Chair feedback on any needed adjustments to

the candidate’s study design or literature review.

c. Discusses with the Chair (often privately when the candidate is asked to
leave the room) any concerns about passing the doctoral candidate in the

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proposal defense
d. Officially votes whether to pass, pass with modifications, or not pass the

doctoral candidate.

3. Assists the Chair (when appropriate) in addressing any student questions or

issues that arise during the student’s study implementation.

4. Reviews carefully the dissertation document to assess whether the doctoral
candidate is ready to defend the dissertation.

a. Provides feedback to the student and Chair regarding the dissertation

b. Informs the Chair when there are critical issues that must be resolved
before the dissertation defense to prevent a potential failure.

5. Participates in the dissertation defense as a scientific peer reviewer

a. Asks questions in the dissertation defense to assess the student’s accuracy
and competency in analyzing the results and interpreting the findings of

the study.

b. Provides the student and Chair feedback on any needed adjustments to
the candidate’s analyses or interpretation of the findings.

c. Discusses with the Chair (often privately when the candidate is asked to
leave the room) any concerns about passing the doctoral candidate in the

dissertation defense.

d. Officially votes whether to pass, pass with modifications, or not pass the
doctoral candidate.

6. When appropriate, assists the student and Chair in developing an article

submission to a scholarly journal.

G. Chair and Reader Removal and Replacement

None of the policies listed below should supersede any governing federal, state, and

university policies with respect to anti-discrimination policies or related policies.

In all circumstances both students and Committee members should keep in mind that

there may be monetary implications and/or course implications to the removal of a
Committee member. These implications may impact the Committee member and/or the

student.

1. Student Requested Removal

 If a student wishes to have a Chair or Reader removed from their Committee

the student shall, in the case of the reader, discuss the situation and reason(s)

with the Dissertation Chair. The Chair should make reasonable efforts to

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facilitate a dialogue that would preserve the present Committee makeup.

 In the event that the student request for reader removal or the student

requests removal of the Dissertation Chair, the request shall be forwarded by
the student to the appropriate Program Director. The Program Director and

HSOG administrative leadership shall confer and make a final decision.

 Typically requests for removal are for extreme circumstances that would

prevent a positive and ongoing dialog among the Committee and student.

2. Committee Requested Removal

 If a Chair or Reader wishes to be removed from a Dissertation Committee

they should address the issue with the Program Director.

 The Program Director will confer with HSOG administrative leadership for

final disposition.

H. Step 3: Complete the Proposal

The process of completing the dissertation leading to Committee approval is an iterative
process that culminates in the dissertation defense. This iterative process typically takes

place for each chapter and involves the Chairperson’s initial endorsement of each
submission before distribution to other Committee Members. This entire process begins

with the dissertation proposal.

Typically, a dissertation proposal is comprised of Chapters One through Three (e.g.,
Introduction, Review of the Literature, and Methods) of the entire dissertation. The

Chapters, References, and Appendixes may be updated throughout the dissertation
process, but should be written with a completed draft in mind. The submission of the

proposal should include the Title Page, Abstract, Table of Contents, References, and

Appendices. The actual format of the dissertation, however, will be determined by the
nature of the research and in collaboration with the Committee.

As for the submissions of the dissertation proposal, several revisions are likely. This
process is usually done through the development of outlines, identification of reference

sources, the submission of drafts, the receipt of feedback, and the revision of drafts. At

the discretion of the Committee Chair, this process may be supplemented with face to
face or teleconference meetings as necessary.

I. Step 4: Defend the Proposal

Although it is preferable for the proposal defense to take place face to face with the

Committee. Due to the geographic dispersion of the University’s Student body, a
teleconference or webinar defense will most likely be the best choice. The student,

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working with the Chair shall ensure the defense is formal and professional.
Additionally, the Chair shall ensure the student’s PowerPoint, video’s, supporting

material is profession and fee of errors and, if applicable, that the student is familiar

with the webinar presentation software.

The defense of the proposal is not just a formality. Issues that require clarification or

changes that must be made may emerge from the defense. The Candidate is expected to
demonstrate a mastery of the proposed study, the related literature, and adequately

answer Committee member questions.

Questions about the proposal may include:

1. Does the design clearly relate to the purpose of the study?

2. Does the design adequately address each research question?
3. What are the data sources? Are they useful, reliable, and sufficient?

4. Is the design feasible within the stated limitations and delimitations?

5. Does the design attend to the protection of human subjects?

6. Is a realistic timeline established?
7. Is the sample clearly defined?

8. Do the research methods reflect the literature?

9. Is this the “best” design for the study and the subject area?
10. Are the theoretical frameworks appropriate to the study?

Three possible outcomes may result from the dissertation proposal defense. First, the
Committee may approve the Candidate’s proposal. If the proposal is successfully

defended, the Committee will sign the cover page of the proposal and it will be placed

in the Candidate’s electronic file. A shared file should be created when a student starts
the dissertation process. This file should be created by the dissertation coordinator. The

Candidate will be given permission to begin Step Five of the dissertation proc ess.

Second, the Committee may accept the proposal with modifications. The Committee
will not approve the proposal until such changes are made. The Candidate should

submit these modifications to the Chair for review.

Third, the Committee may not approve the proposal. Rescheduling and

recommendations for a second attempt will be determined on a case-by-case basis by

each Committee. A successful proposal defense must be accomplished before the
Candidate can move forward with any aspect of conducting the research or evaluation.

J. Step 5: Obtain Approval by the Internal Review Board

The federal government requires that all institutions, whether university, company, or
agency ensure that all state and federal regulations are observed by researchers in their

community. The Internal Review Board (IRB) examines all research to ensure that the

welfare of human research participants is protected. Data collection cannot begin until

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IRB approval has been obtained. The IRB’s current guidelines and application forms can
be found on the Graduate Center for Research and Evaluation (GCRE) webpage. The

Student’s Doctoral Committee Chair serves as the faculty sponsor and works with the

Student to insure that proper ethical standards are applied to the project and that
informed consent is used when appropriate. Consider the following guidelines in

obtaining IRB approval.

1. First, determine which IRB application form to use (see the Guidelines and

Forms the IRB website). If the project involves minimal risk, the exempt research

application is appropriate. Guidelines for expedited and full research are also
found under the Guidelines and Forms link.

2. Once the appropriate form has been chosen, view the “avoiding pitfalls section”

of the IRB homepage. This section provides application hints based upon the
study’s design. Many times, simple modifications to a design can prevent delay

(or the need for resubmittal) in the application process.
3. Once the Student is aware of the particular issues his or her design might pose

for approval, he or she should proceed with completing the application form.

The form will require the Student’s signature as Primary Investigator and the
Faculty Sponsor’s signature in order to be considered complete. Prior to

submission to the IRB, the Student’s Chair must review and approve the

application.

The Student should submit the appropriate and completed IRB application form to the

IRB after obtaining review and permission from the Chair to submit the approved
application form. For exempt or expedited submissions, the IRB should render a decision

within two weeks. For full review submissions, which require a more thorough review

process, the IRB should be able to render a decision within one month. No IRB
application can be submitted without Chair review and approval. No data can be

collected without IRB approval. If a student wishes to collect and analyze archived or

public use data, the student guided by the dissertation Chair shall inquire with IRB the
efficacy of collecting this data and make note of the IRB’s decision.

K. Step 6: Conduct the Research

After the successful defense of the Proposal and approval of the IRB, the Candidate can
proceed to implement the investigation as designed and agreed upon by the

Committee. The responsibility of the Candidate is to implement the study as presented

in the Proposal. Any deviations from the Proposal need both Committee and IRB
approval.

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L. Step 7: Complete Final Chapters

In the approved research Proposal, the Candidate typically has completed Chapters

One through Three. After the research is completed and Chapters Four and Five are
being written, the first three chapters should reflect past tense (reflecting completed

action). The remaining chapters present the results, summarize and interpret the data,
draw conclusions, discuss practical implications, and make recommendations for future

research. Further, the Candidate must complete the entire dissertation document (e.g.,

Abstract, Appendixes, Table of Contents, Transition Paragraphs, etc.).

M. Step 8: Submit the Entire Dissertation for Final Approval

Once the Doctoral Student has completed the final draft of the dissertation, it should be

submitted to the Committee. Typically, the Committee will provide feedback to the

Candidate within 30 days. Any required changes to the document should be made and
resubmitted to the Committee. This process will continue until all of the Committee

Members approve the document. At that time, the Student and the Committee should

schedule the dissertation defense. The defense will be scheduled no sooner than 30 days
following approval of the final draft. The Student must create a dissertation

announcement via the Dissertation Portal.

N. Step 9: Defend the Dissertation

1. Purpose of the Dissertation Defense

The oral defense of the dissertation is open to members of the Liberty University
academic community. It should be approached seriously and with dignity because it is

the culminating event of a Student’s Doctoral degree. Members of the Committee will

evaluate the Student’s ability to present his or her research in a scholarly manner.
Committee Members will assess the Student on his or her ability to:

 Share knowledge with the academic community,

 Be innovative and creative in the applications of scholarship and practice,

 Interact with the academic community, and

 Logically and adequately present ideas during a critical review or constructive

exchange.

The Student’s Chair coordinates the meeting and the procedures for conducting the
defense. If the Candidate wishes to graduate at the upcoming commencement, he or she

must schedule the defense early in the semester. Each Committee member must

approve the final draft before the defense can be scheduled. The defense may be
scheduled 30 or more days following final acceptance of the document by all

Committee Members.

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The elements of the defense should be negotiated with the Student’s Committee Chair

prior to the defense meeting. Some Chairs may wish for the Student to develop a

PowerPoint presentation and handouts that reviews the study and results. Just as in the
proposal defense, the student, working with the Chair shall ensure the defense is formal

and professional. Additionally, the Chair shall ensure the student’s PowerPoint,

video’s, supporting material is profession and fee of errors and, if applicable, that the
student is familiar with the webinar presentation software.

2. The Defense Proper

While presentations may vary in length, most reviews can be accomplished in

approximately 20 minutes. Following the presentation, questions will be addressed to
the Doctoral Student. Questions may relate directly to the research, its theoret ical

underpinnings, or be of a more general nature to test the qualifications of the Student to
receive the Doctoral degree. Following a period of questioning by Committee Members,

other attendees may question the Candidate. Keep in mind that attendees will most

likely refer to “virtual attendees”.

When the questioning is completed, typically the Student and observers will be excused

so that the Committee can deliberate privately. From these deliberations three results
are possible:

1. The Candidate passes, though minor editing changes may be necessary and the

Committee Members, except the Chair sign the signature page. The Chair will
sign the signature page once the changes have been completed.

2. The Candidate is provisionally passed pending the submission of changes,

review, and approval by the Candidate’s Committee. The Committee Members
will not sign the signature page until all changes have been approved. The

Candidate will not be required to defend again.

3. The Student is not passed. In this case the Candidate must meet with the Chair
(or Committee) to develop a plan to be completed before the resubmission of

the document and the rescheduling of a defense.

The successful defense of the dissertation concludes the work of the Committee. Each

Committee Member will sign the signature form, which indicates that their work has

been completed. In addition, each Committee Member must sign the ILRC (library)
Deposit Form that must be submitted in order to have the dissertation uploaded to the

ProQuest/UMI. This deposit form is available on the ILRC webpage.

Committee Members should use black ink when signing the signature page of the

original copy of the dissertation. The work of the Chair and the Student is not

completed until all changes have been made, all signatures are present, and all
documents are delivered to their appropriate sources.

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O. Step 10: Obtain a Professional Editor to Review the Dissertation for
Form and Style

 After the successful defense of the dissertation, the Student will make corrections

as required by the Committee.

 If the Student has not done so already, he or she needs to carefully review the

dissertation guide for compliance with the HSOG form and style.

 All Students are required to obtain an editor to have their dissertation
carefully reviewed to ensure excellence in style, format, grammar, spelling,
syntax, and appropriate the style guide.

 The Student will be required to make all the necessary changes and resubmit the

corrected dissertation for review.

 The Student is responsible for the costs associated with obtaining the editor.

P. Step 11: Submit the Final Dissertation

Once compliance has been verified, the Student is then ready to submit the disserta tion

for publication. The following IRLC submission guidelines must be strictly followed

and can be reviewed in more detail on the IRLC website.
1. Ensure that all required pages are present: Signature Page, Cover Page, Table of

Contents, Abstract, List of Tables, and List of Figures.

2. Ensure accuracy with all page numbering and reference list.

3. Ensure that any reprinted material conforms to all governmental copyright
regulations. Failure to comply with copyright regulations will prevent the

dissertation from being accepted.
4. Liberty University has adopted the Microsoft® Office software bundle as the

standard for its operations. The dissertation must be submitted in Microsoft®

Office Word. It is important that the dissertation template found in the
dissertation guide’s appendixes be followed in order to prevent problems from

converting the dissertation to a PDF format.

5. Each Student will need to upload the completed and approved dissertation to
ProQuest/UMI. Instructions for submission can be found on the IRLC website.

Once the dissertation has been deposited the Student will receive a confirmation.

The Student will eventually obtain another confirmation from the library sta ting
that ProQuest/UMI has accepted the dissertation for approval.

6. Once approval has been obtained from the ProQuest/UMI, the dissertation must

be submitted for binding. Since the University no longer binds dissertations it is
the Student’s responsibility to provide a bound copy for the Department. If you

wish additional copies, you may also order them. The binding company

recommended by the IRLC can be found on the IRLC website: Additional bound
copies might be requested by the Student’s Committee member. Of course, most

Students also choose to have a bound copy for themselves. The cost of binding

https://www.liberty.edu/library/submitting-dissertations-and-theses/

http://dissertations.umi.com/liberty/

https://www.liberty.edu/library/submitting-dissertations-and-theses/

2019-06-13

25 HSOG Dissertation Guide

these copies is the responsibility of the Student.

7. Once the bound copies are received, the Student should forward them to the
HSOG for signatures. The Student is responsible for any costs associated with
mailing.

Back to the Table of Contents

2019-06-13

26 HSOG Dissertation Guide

VI. COMPONENTS OF THE COMPLETED DISSERTATION

Although dissertations can vary in number of chapters and organization, in essence all

dissertations consist of four major components or parts: (a) Preliminary pages; (b) Text;
(c) References; and (d) Appendixes. These components are detailed below.

A. Preliminary Pages

Preliminary pages must appear in the order described below. These pages are

numbered with lower case roman numerals.

 Title Page: Each copy of the dissertation must include a title page prepared

exactly in accordance with the EXAMPLE. This is the only page among the

preliminary pages that does not bear a page number; it is page “i” but the “i” is

not printed on the page. The Student’s full legal name should be used on the title
page.

 Signature/Approval Page: All copies must include a signature page that has been

signed in black ink by each Committee member. The page number appears on

the bottom of this page as “ii”. The author may include a copyright statement on
the signature page. It should be centered and appear after the author’s full legal

 Abstract: (If style guide requires): All dissertations must have an abstract that

briefly describes the problem, purpose, methods, and summary of findings.

 Dedication (Optional): The Student may wish to include a dedication.

 Acknowledgement (Optional): Many authors include an acknowledgement page to

express their appreciation to those who have assisted in the dissertation.

 Table of Contents: consistent with relevant style guide.

B. Text, References and Appendices Sections

All dissertations by Students in the Helms School of Government program shall comply
with the writing format of the most recent version of appropriate style guide.

Back to the Table of Contents

March 22, 2021 11:54:36 AM EDT 1 day ago

Paul Alexander

Paul Alexander D/B 1

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D/B 1 Paul Alexander

Choosing a Dissertation Topic

The ultimate goal of any doctoral dissertation is to add to a particular field of study or discipline. When contemplating a dissertation topic, it is essential to remember there are various ways of selecting a subject matter for research. However, there is one way that will yield better results than most others. When someone selects a dissertation topic that they have an interest in or is selected based on their personal experiences, it may hold the researcher’s interest and produce a more interesting outcome for the reader. The one cautionary note would be confirmation bias if selecting a topic with deep personal meaning. If the student cares about the topic selected, it may be more likely to contribute to the field of study the researcher has chosen. Segol (2014) notes four things that can influence selecting a dissertation topic, familiarity, trends, feasibility, and other influencing factors. First, familiarity with a particular topic should be part of the equation of selecting a topic. Without it, the researcher would have to spend an inordinate amount of time learning about the topic from the ground up. A lack of familiarity can also create a situation where the researcher does not fully understand some of the topic’s nuances of the area they are attempting to research. A lack of familiarity can have a profound effect on the final product the researcher produces. Second, trends are another area where students may be influenced to choose a dissertation topic. By reading the headlines or following the news, students could be drawn to the hot button topics of the day. This method of selecting may lead them to believe they have found a suitable dissertation topic. Third, the dissertation topic’s feasibility can affect the outcome or the inability to produce a quality dissertation. If the subject matter selected for a dissertation is too broad, too narrow, or otherwise poorly conceived, it may be impossible to achieve satisfactory results. Finally, other factors may influence a student’s decision to select a particular dissertation topic. If a topic is selected solely based on how they feel about the particular topic can be problematic. The student may not seek out quality data and may rely only on what is familiar. When selecting a dissertation topic, if the student uses the four elements just discussed, it will lay the foundation for solid research.

Reviewing the Literature

One of the keys to a student identifying a dissertation topic is to review the available literature on a topic or in the field of interest. Boone & Beile (2005) note that a thorough and careful literature review is a precondition for conducting quality research. The literature review will also prepare the student for writing their dissertation and provide them with a greater understanding of the process. This aspect of the dissertation process requires discipline, dedication, and a plan. There is no alternative to this phase of the process. It requires the student to read the available literature in their selected field of study. The way the student conducts their literature review will influence the overall success of writing their dissertation. Boone & Beile (2005) note that little attention is paid to the literature review process; however, most researchers will acknowledge its significance in the overall dissertation process. Lather (1999) notes that literature reviews are not intended to allow the student to copy the available research but synthesize the available research in a chosen field of study. She also notes how students fail to conduct adequate literature reviews but highlight its importance in preparing the student to complete their doctoral dissertation. Finally, Maxfield & Babbie (2017) note that literature reviews are a way of sorting, categorizing, and synthesizing information to identify relevant data germane to the student’s chosen field of study.

Biblical Perspective

The Bible can help prepare students for the task of completing a dissertation project. Proverbs 16:3, New International Version (1973/2011) says that “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” We should have faith the Lord will inspire us as long as we are willing to put in the work. Again in Proverbs 14:23, it says, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” As students, we must be willing to put forth the effort to produce a dissertation worthy of a doctorate degree. Finally, in Colossians 3:23-24, it says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not human masters, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” We are being reminded that we get out of something based on the effort we put into it. In this case, the effort we exert in writing our dissertation is proportional to the effort we give.

References

Boote, D., & Beile, P. (2005). Scholars Before Researchers: On the Centrality of the Dissertation

Literature Review in Research Preparation. Educational Researcher, 34(6), 3-15. Retrieved March 21, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3699805

Lather, P. (1999). To be of use: The work of reviewing. Review of Educational Research, 69(1),

2-7.

http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fscholarly-journals%2Fbe-use-work-reviewing%2Fdocview%2F214116740%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D12085

Segol, G. (2014). Choosing a dissertation topic: additional pointers. College Student

Journal., 48(1).

https://web-a-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=dfbcdb29-165e-4f77-a315-6a2b7a52bbdd%40sessionmgr4006&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=EIS96336716&db=mlf

Randolph, J. J. (2009). A guide to writing the Dissertation Literature Review. Practical

Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 14(13), 1-13.

Rogers, S., & Earnshaw, Y. (2015). Avoiding the Dissertation Topic

Minefield. TechTrends, 59(2), 13-14.

http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1007/s11528-015-0832-3

Maxfield, M. G., & Babbie, E. R. (2017). Research Methods for Criminal Justice and

Criminology. Cengage Learning.

New International Bible. (2011). Zondervan. (Original work published 1973.)

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March 22, 2021 10:10:46 AM EDT 1 day ago

Frank Peris

Frank Peris Discussion One

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The determination of a dissertation is undoubtedly the most important decision of any PhD student’s program, embodying years of research and practical experience. Making this decisive decision begins simply with the identification of a problem within a specified field of study. Identifying a problem for PHS students, who are typically further in life and employment aspirations, becomes envisioned through personal encounters, experiences, or difficulties. For example, throughout my career as a local patrol officer, I often desired better equipment, more effective policing methods, and increased manpower. Throughout these frustrations, one clear item manifested itself as a mitigation tool, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (drones). Once realizing the value of drones, I wanted to share this multipurpose tool with neighboring police, fire, and emergency management agencies. The difficult realization of this ambition is present on many levels, beginning first with the establishment of instructor credibility. Attending a PhD program would begin to solidify myself as a knowledgeable college professor and therefore enable me to become one step closer to seeing the widespread implementation of drones in criminal justice related fields. However, as this discussion format highlights, it is not enough to just decide on a topic, comprehensive research methods like article evaluation and the analysis of existing information surrounding this topic is imperative.

Maxfield & Babbie (2018) explain many strategies to reviewing existing literature, ranging from more generalized to selective approaches, weighting the differences of aspects like an in-person library versus online databases. In selecting such an up and coming research topic, like the widespread implementation of drones, the obvious choice appears more technology related but an argument can be made for traditional methods as well. For example, newer technology like license plate readers have enabled investigators to obtain additional information about suspect vehicles, direction of travel, and time frames pertaining to the crime (Willis et al, 2017). Plate readers seem like an obvious tool to be trusted and valued amongst law enforcement, however recent literature by Willis et al (2017), argue that the use of plate readers are problematic because of character identification errors, erosion of investigation skills, and invasion of privacy issues. This example, disputing what many assume as common knowledge in police work, shows the obvious need to remain open minded when reviewing existing literature, instead focusing on the integrity and purpose of the information.

Selective review of existing literature for a modern topic like drones is especially important, supporting the notion that Maxfield & Babbie (2018) suggest toward government reports or studies. Drones face many limitations before widespread implementation can occur, specifically in relation to legal legislation which is lagging drastically behind technological developments. A recent government study by Klauser (2021), showed that although more than half of all local police agencies in Switzerland are utilizing drones only 38% of operators consider existing legislation to be sufficient. This more selective literature would argue against immediate implementation of drones instead allowing the slow-moving wheels of justice an opportunity to catch up, posing potential problems to the dissertation.

Scholarly articles are the primary information source for many perspective PhD students, it would seem neglectful to not address the process in which these articles are evaluated. Drone based articles, being such a newly developed technology driven field, will be inundated with unreliable information based on personal experiences or individual interpretations. Cullen & Johnson (2017) would certainly consider these opinions insider based, arguing toward a more research-based approach to thoroughly evaluate an article’s credibility. Effective scanning as Maxfield & Babbie (2018) articulate can indicate the level of credibility an article contains, for example when scanning a recent research article by Burchan (2019) multiple graphs, tables, and studies are overtly present, highlighting reliability. This method of scanning or quick reading will be a mainstay for more modern based dissertations like drones mostly due to the lack of long-standing established research available.

Christianity, in its many high points, also encourages people to employ sound research methods both by evaluating literature or available information sources. The written word of the Bible displays the need for true depth within a person’s thought process, “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way” (English Standard Version, 2001/2016 proverbs, 19:2). Christians have come to value a well composed document, like the Bible, echoing wisdom from thousands of years ago. It appears that Christianity understands the connection between well developed research and gaining life knowledge, broadly supporting the approaches laid out in Maxfield & Babbie (2018). Specifically, for a drone based dissertation, remaining in line with Christian values poses complications but is far from impossible when strong efforts are made to relate traditional and modern methods.

References

Burchan, A. (2019). Public Acceptance of Drones: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice.

Technology in Society. 59.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2019.101180

Cullen, F. T., Johnson, C., L. (2017). Correctional Theory: Context and Consequences. Thousand

Oaks, California, USA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

English Standard Version. (2016). Biblehub. Retrieved from

https://biblehub.com

(Original work published 2001)

Klauser, F. (2021). Police Drones and the Air: Towards a Volumetric Geopolitics of Security.

Swiss Political Science Review.

https://doi.org/10.1111/spsr.12431

Maxfield, M. G., Babbie, E. R. (2018). Research Methods for Criminal Justice and Criminology

(8th Ed). Cengage Learning.

Willis, J., J. Koper, C., & Lum, C. (2017). The Adaptation of License Plate Readers for

Investigative Purposes: Police Technology and Innovation Re-invention. Justice Quarterly. 35(4).

https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2017.1329936

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