MAXIMUM 50 CHARACTERS
[Title,[WU1]APA 2.01[ALF2]]
by
[full name of the author, 2.02]
School of Education
William Jessup University
[year]
Nathan Herzog, Ph.D., Coordinator of Graduate Studies
[insert names and titles of your Thesis Committee same as Graduate Coordinator]
Name 2, Degree, Thesis Mentor
Name 3, Degree, Committee Member
Name 4, Degree, Committee Member
A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts in Teaching
[Title, APA 2.01]
by
[full name of the author, 2.02]
School of Education
William Jessup University
[year]
Approved by the Coordinator of Graduate StudiesNathan Herzog, Ph.D.
Approved by the Education Graduate Thesis Committee
[Name 1, Degree]
[Name 2, Degree]
[Name 3, Degree]
Publication Rights [OPTIONAL]
Thesis © [full name of the author] [Year]
Dedication[OPTIONAL]
[Your text]
Preface or Acknowledgements [OPTIONAL]
[Although the body ofthe thesis is usually written in the third person, this section, if included, is usually written in the first person (see APA 3.09, 3.20 for more details on when to use “I”).Here you may wish to explain certain features of the thesis.It is also customary to recognize the assistance of the Graduate Coordinator and/or members of the committee.Specific contributions by other persons or institutions should be acknowledged, especially if financial support was received.]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Tables [APA 5.07-5.11+]
List of Figures [APA 5.20-5.25+]
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study [APA 2.05]
Background
Theoretical Framework of the Study
Statement of the Problem
Purpose of the Study
Method [APA 2.06]
Variables
Independent
Dependent
Research Questions
Hypotheses (for Quantitative Research)
Limitations, Assumptions, and Design Controls
Definition of Key Terms
Summary
Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature
Introduction
Sample Level One Heading
Sample Level Two Heading
Introduction
Problem and Purposes Overview
Research Questions and Hypotheses
Population and Sample
Data Collection and Instrumentation
Data Analysis
Summary
Chapter 4: Analysis of Data and Results [APA 2.07]
Introduction
Organization of Data Analysis
Presentation of Descriptive Characteristics of the Sample
Research Questions and Associated Hypothesis
Analysis of Data
Summary
Chapter 5: Findings, Conclusions, and Implications
Introduction
Summary of the Study [APA 2.08]
Findings
Conclusions
Implications
Directions for Future Study
Summary
References
Appendix A: Title of Appendix [APA 2.13, 8.03]
[Do not type directly into the Table of Contents (TOC). It is hyperlinked to the headings in your text and will update for you automatically. Right-click on the TOC to auto-update (select “update field”then “update entire table”). The APA reference numbers will disappear when you remove them in the actual text.]
List of Tables [APA 5.07-5.11+]
Table 1. A Sample Table Showing Correct Formatting
[See APA 5.01+ on Displaying Results in Tables, 5.19 Table Checklist]
[The List of Tables will also auto-update. Right-click on the list to auto-update (select “update field” then “update entire table”).]
List of Figures [APA 5.20-5.25+]
Figure 1. A sample figure.
[See APA 5.20+ Figures, 5.30 Figure Checklist]
[The List of Figureswill also auto-update. Right-click on the list to auto-update (select “update field” then “update entire table”).]
Abstract[APA 2.04]
by
[full name of the author]
School of Education
William Jessup University
[year]
[The abstract should contain all the essential information about the thesis and provide the reader with an overview of the study. It should be written in complete sentences and include statements of the problem, procedure or methods, results and conclusions. The abstract should include accomplishments, the most pertinent facts and implications of the study, and a brief explanation of the work, and should not exceed 250 words (approximately 1 ½ pages in length). Mathematical formulae, citations, diagrams, footnotes, illustrative materials, quotations, and acronyms may not be used in the abstract.]
1
1
MAXIMUM 50 CHARACTERS
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study [APA 2.05][WU3]
Background
This section should be approximately 2-5 pages of background narrative, citing literature as appropriate and needed. You have two purposes in this section: (a) grab your readers’ attention and (b) enlighten your readers about the thrust of the study and its importance.
Theoretical Framework of the Study
The theoretical framework is the conceptual base from which your topic has evolved. It includes the basic, historical, theoretical nature, and background of your topic. This information is the material that under girds, and provides basic support from which your topic emerges. Essentially you are trying to present a rational/theoretical/research-based model for (a) the key variables you are interested in investigating and (b) any believed interrelationships between the dependent, or criterion, variable and the independent variables. Your theoretical framework should substantiate your argument. This section will typically be 2-4 pages. Literature citations are essential. Theorists and researchers who are famous in the field of the topic will probably be referenced in this section.
Statement of the Problem
Approximately 1-3 pages in which you give a clearly and concisely detailed explanation of the educational and theoretical problem your research will address. Your research problem should be of educational and societal significance – a true problem that necessitates a solution (your argument is your proposed solution). The research problem is typically broad in nature. For example, your thesis might discuss the problem of chronic absenteeism in U.S. high schools, persistent racial achievement gaps, poor writing skills among high school graduates, or lack of access to higher-order math content in K-12 schools.
Purpose of the Study
There should be one or two paragraphs to introduce the research questions and hypotheses.A viable research purpose statement must meet all of the following:
1) address a gap in the existing literature,
2) address social justice,
3) involve the relationship between at least one independent/dependent variable,
4) be open ended in nature (i.e. not a yes or no question).
Method [APA 2.06]
Here you will briefly overview the methodology being employed in your study. Below you will present and describe the study’s independent and dependent variables.
Variables
Independent
Dependent
Research Questions
List them as 1. . . . 2. . . . 3...... n.
Hypotheses (for Quantitative Research)
List them as 1. . . . 2. . . . 3...... n.
Limitations, Assumptions, and Design Controls
In this section you will set the assumptions upon which the research is pursued, listing any limitations, and indicating clearly how any potential problems will be controlled (thereby increasing your readers’ confidence in you as a researcher and in your study).Limitations are the limitations over which you, the researcher, have no control. These might include resources for your topic which are limiting you from doing a more extensive study, confined parameters of the sample, or in the case of active research, subjects who fail to complete the appropriate test items. Assumptions are those things that, relative to your study, you are “taking for granted.” For example, if you are assessing a pedagogical strategy being implemented at a school, you might assume all teachers were properly trained. Design controls are most appropriate for experimental or quasi-experimental studies in which a research scenario is designed for the collection of data (see Creswell). You may find it easier to write this section later as you develop your methodology in Chapter 3.
Definition of Key Terms
An introductory sentence should be used to transition to the definition of key terms. The terms in this section should be terms directly related to your research that will be used by you throughout the research. It is up to you, the researcher, to define each term as you want the reader to know that term. In every case possible, cite a source for your definition. It is all right to have some definitions without citations when you are listing a “commonly understood” term or you have no source. Define all jargon for your reader to provide temporal and cultural context and guide your reader through the argument. List the terms in alphabetical order.
Key term 1: Definition (citation).
Key term 2: Definition (citation).
Key term 3: Definition (citation).
For example:
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP): assessments designed to produce national and state estimates of both overall and group-specific achievement in subjects such as reading, math, science, and history. These assessments are administered during the 4th and 8th grade school years, and help serve as the “Nation’s Report Card”(Condron, Tope, Steidl, & Freeman, 2013).
Summary
Present a 1-3 paragraph summary of key points included in Chapter 1. Then present a one paragraph description of how the remainder of the study is organized (that is Chapters 2 through 5 and any appendices you know will be included). Note: The length of Chapter 1 varies from proposal to proposal, but most range from 10-20 pp.
Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature
Introduction
Write a brief introduction of 2-3 paragraphs to refresh you reader’s memory about the problem and purpose of the study you presented in Chapter 1. Also, tell you reader about the form Chapter 2 will take in terms of purpose, scope, and sequence/organization. The introduction for Chapter 2 should include the titles of the main headings.
[Notes: Remember that in this chapter you are reporting on what other researchers, experts, and theorists. have already said about the subject. Therefore, for the most part, the verbs in this chapter are past tense.
It is a skill on the part of graduate students to report on the literature in a way that compares, contrasts, and in so doing, analyzes what is found in the literature. The purpose of the literature review is not to simply summarize the sources read and present information. The purpose is to utilize the sources and information gathered to present a convincing argument of the importance of your research problem and the need for your research purpose, and the validation of your questions and hypotheses. Synthesize your many sources into a coherent discussion.The literature review will typically contain 2-4 strands of literature in which you present, discuss and synthesize the research literature on the 2-4 topics the reader must understand to substantiate your problem and validate your argument and study purpose. Ensure your literature review clearly coversthe research related to (a) the criterion/dependent variable of your study and any subcomponents, (b) the independent variables of the study, (c) issues of measurement, and (d) alternative points of view/arguments.
The APA Publication Manual is the guideline for the format of your paper. Consistency is the law. Follow its guidelines on how to do something and do that the same way throughout the paper. This is particularly true of chapter headings and subheadings. Except in rare cases, use last names only for persons noted or references in the study and do not use position or academic titles. In most cases, paraphrase what you want to share for your reader from what you have found in the literature. Overuse of “directly quoted” material is to be avoided. How long should Chapter 2 be? Rarely is a review of literature under 25 pages considered adequate in a thesis.
There are 4 criteria in determining the adequacy of the review of literature: (1) complete enough to inform and enlighten the reader, (2) clear in every regard, (3) correct in style and accuracy, and (4) concise as possible while meeting the complete criterion. A considerable portion of what you find in you literature search can and will be important parts of Chapter 1, “Background of the Study,” and Chapter 3, “Research Design and Methodology.” In fact, some literature may be used in all chapters, except Chapter 4, “Results of Data Analysis.” Much research reported in Chapter 2 should be referenced again in Chapter 5 as comparisons are made between your research results and those of others. Be sure to review successfully completed theses for examples to guide the organization and writing of each chapter.
Use topic appropriate headings throughout your literature review to organize the discussion for your reader[APA 3.02+ Headings].
Sample Level One Heading
Remember, a paragraph is a full MEAL (please see 2016 Handbook). A paragraph has at least three sentences. In the literature review, a scholarnever cites only one source in a paragraph. The first and last sentences in a paragraph should never be a citation.
Sample Level Two Heading
A full MEAL includes all aspects of that MEAL. The main idea is always expressed in the author’s own words. Evidence, typically in the form of reputable sources or logical arguments, backs up that main idea. The author provides his or her own analysis of the literature. Finally, the last sentence always leads into the next paragraph, section, or chapter. Effective transitions are essential to a well-written literature review. Conclude every paragraph and section explicitly transitioning to the content coming next.
Sample level three heading. With level three, four, and five headings, you will need to perform some manual formatting functions. First, write your heading and at least one sentence. Then, highlight your heading and select APA level 3, 4, or 5 from the Styles menu. Next, highlight the portion that is not part of the heading and select Body Text from the Styles menu. If the bolding and / or italics did not disappear from the text, you will need to manually remove them. Some versions of MS Word do not automatically remove them for you. Finally, click on the heading to make sure it is the correct APA level and click on the body to make sure it is on Body Text.
Sample level four heading.Please note that with APA headings zero through two, each word in the headingis capitalized. In levels three through five the headings are sentence cased complete with periods. Bolding and / or italics are the only thing separating level three through five headings from the rest of the text.
Sample level five heading. It is very important that you use the correct APA level headings from the Styles menu in your document. By using the correct Styles, the document’s Table of Contents (TOC) will be able to automatically and accurately populate. If you do not use the correct formatting, you will not produce an accurate document or TOC.
Summary
Chapter 2 should have a summary that ties together the main headings of the chapter. Also, be sure to preview for the reader what is coming in Chapters 3, 4, and 5.
Chapter 3: Research Design and Methodology[APA 2.06]
Introduction
Use approximately 2-3 pages to introduce the reader to this chapter and to refresh the reader’s memory about (a) the problem being investigated, (b) the research questions posed to guide the researcher in fulfilling the purposes of the study, and (c) the hypotheses to be tested (if it is a quantitative study).
Problem and Purposes Overview
Summarize the problem and purpose statements. Keep this brief, concise, and to the point (about 2-3 paragraphs).
Research Questions and Hypotheses
After an introductory sentence, simply restate the research questionsand hypotheses from Chapter 1. Always state the research questions and hypotheses in exactly the same way in each chapter.
Population and Sample
In this section, take more of a narrative tone as you describe the study population and sample and help the reader get a sense of the community you studied. The researcher is obligated to define precisely the population represented by this research project. Also, the method for selection of a representative sample from the population must be specified, along with the exact number of subjects to be included in the sample. The sample unit needs to be specified (e.g., school district, school building, student, teacher, or principal as the “unit of analysis”) as well as the sampling method (e.g., random, proportional random, total population as sample, time series). [Check a statistical analysis text for a table to determine the required sample size for statistical analysis depending upon population size.]
Data Collection and Instrumentation
The researcher is obligated to describe precisely and expansively the data collection methodology (e.g., mail survey, personal or telephone interviews, participant observations, accessing existing databases, etc.). Provide detail on what was done, when and how. You also want to more thoroughly describe the dependent and independent variables, and how those were operationalized. Be sure to include a discussion of any research literature or previous studies used to operationalize your variables.
Include a separate section for each instrument adopted or developed for data collection, whether that might be published instruments, researcher-developed instruments, interview protocols, or test results. Be sure to include information for each instrument on (a) form of the instrument, with sample items and scaling/scoring information, (b) assurances, or at least estimates, of the validity and reliability of the instrument, and (c) reference to an appendix in which the reader will find the complete instrument and all correspondence and directions which will be sent to the study participants in the sample. A considerable number of literature citations will probably appear for each instrument.