week 2 709
A significant challenge for many dissertation writers is deciding on a research topic. Oftentimes, many are not sure where to begin. Choosing a topic involves thinking from a broad perspective, then narrowing your thinking. If you think too broadly, you will have trouble focusing. If you think too narrowly, the topic will have little relevance to an academic or professional audience. Start by looking at the topic from a broad perspective, then narrow in to find possible areas of focus.
As you are thinking about topics, ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I really interested in the topic? Am I willing to become an expert on this topic by spending months—even years—researching and writing about it?
- Will the topic add to the body of knowledge in the field?
- Is the topic timely or is it outdated and overdone?
- Is the topic something I can research in a reasonable amount of time or is the time commitment too great for a doctoral dissertation?
- Is the topic accessible? Will I have to travel far and wide to collect data?
- Do I have the finances to carry out the research needed to complete a dissertation on this topic?
Access and Protected Populations
An important aspect of choosing a topic is access or the ability to conduct your study. For example, you may want to know how leaders of a particular company use social media to increase sales, but they are unwilling to talk to you.
When selecting a topic for your study, consider whether conducting the study would involve talking to protected classes of people or vulnerable populations. Federal regulations require protecting the welfare of vulnerable subjects who may not be of age, have the authority or ability to speak for themselves, or are vulnerable in any other way. Protected classes include the following:
- children or minors under age 18
- prisoners
- pregnant women
- people with cognitive impairments or mental disabilities
- people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged
If you are considering conducting research with any of the protected classes of human subjects, consider options for completing your study in a different way. For example, instead of talking to minor children, talk to their parents. There are many creative options!
- Read the following from the University Library:
- “Standards for Reporting on Empirical Social Science Research in AERA Publications: American Educational Research Association”
- 2, “Do You Have an Idea for a Topic?,” of Writing Your Doctoral Dissertation or Thesis Faster: A Proven Map to Success
- Read “How Do I Know Whether My Dissertation Topic Is Achievable?” from Laerd Dissertation.
Wk 2 Discussion 1 – Feasibility []
Wk 2 Overview
Wk 2 Discussion 2 – Institutional Review Board and Research Ethics
Discussion Topic
Post a total of 2 substantive responses over 2 separate days for full participation. This includes your initial post by Thursday and at least 1 reply to classmates or your faculty member by Monday.
Please refer to this week’s learning materials. They are intended to help you engage effectively in this discussion.
Read the following resources from the University Library:
- “Developing a Researchable Question” in Project Planner
- “Eleven Pitfalls in Qualitative Research: Some Perils Every Emerging Scholar and Doctoral Student Should Be Aware of”
- “Develop a Search Strategy: Choose a Topic” > “Your Topic – Too Much? Not Enough?”
Write a 250- to 300-word response to the following:
- What is your dissertation topic or potential topic?
- If you are not completing a dissertation, what is the focus of a research study you might complete? You can always change your mind on the research topic! (Be sure to focus on an overarching topic, not on a question or problem you want to solve.)
- Is your dissertation topic/idea feasible? Does your topic fall into one of the areas of being too broad, too narrow, or too recent? If so, present some ideas on what you might consider to achieve a feasible research study.
Include your own experience as well as 2 citations from peer-reviewed academic journals, industry publications, books, and/or other sources that align with or contradict your comments. Cite your sources according to APA guidelines. If you found information that contradicts your experience, explain why you agree or disagree with the information.
Review your classmates’ posts and respond to at least one in a minimum of 150 words. Explain why you agree or disagree. Then, share an example from your professional experience to support your assertions.
Wk 2 Discussion 2 – Institutional Review Board and Research Ethics [
Wk 2 Discussion 1 – Feasibility
Wk 2 – Summative Assessment: Article Analysis and Research Considerations [
Discussion Topic
Post a total of 2 substantive responses over 2 separate days for full participation. This includes your initial post by Saturday and at least 1 reply to classmates or your faculty member by Monday.
Please refer to this week’s learning materials. They are intended to help you engage effectively in this discussion.
Part 1: Institutional Review Board (IRB)
- Visit CDS Central and review the information under the IRB tab.
- Select Registering for IRB in the IRB Resources table and follow the steps to register.
Once you have registered with IRB, download the What is Research? document at the end of the list of Forms and Templates.
As the first part of your response, describe in your own words (approximately 150–200 words) what research is and explain if your study will involve human subjects.
Part 2: Research Ethics
The development of the field of ethics in research includes numerous historical atrocities and egregious breaches of humane ethical values.
For the second part of your response, research “historical atrocities and research ethics” and share one historical violation that prompted the implementation of ethical standards in research (approximately 150-200 words).
Include your own experience as well as 2 citations from peer-reviewed academic journals, industry publications, books, and/or other sources that align with or contradict your comments. Cite your sources according to APA guidelines. If you found information that contradicts your experience, explain why you agree or disagree with the information.
Review your classmates’ posts and respond to at least one in a minimum of 150 words. Explain why you agree or disagree. Then, share an example from your professional experience to support your assertions.
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Wk 2 – Summative Assessment: Article Analysis and Research Considerations []
Assignment Content
Knowing the difference between applied and basic research is necessary to develop an effective research study. The difference between basic research and applied research lies in their respective aims.
- Basic research refers to research aimed at acquiring new, fundamental knowledge and theoretical understanding of basic human and other natural processes without any particular application in view.
- Applied research also is conducted as an original investigation to acquire new knowledge, but it is primarily directed toward practical objectives with the aim of providing relatively immediate solutions.
This assignment has two parts. Complete Parts 1 and 2 below.
Part 1: Article Analysis
Locate an applied research article on a topic in your program of study (e.g., DBA, DHA, DM, EDD) from the University Library. To familiarize yourself with the different applied designs, review the qualitative and quantitative research designs in the CDS Dissertation Guide on CDS Central.
Key words to use while searching for an article in the library might include action research, program evaluation, etc.
Write a 350- to 525-word analysis about what makes the study discussed in the article applied versus basic research and do the following:
- Identify the article topic (e.g., education, business, health care) and provide a link to the article.
- Explain how the study in the article addresses a real-world, practical problem.
- Explain how the results of the study could impact people’s lives, work, health, and/or general well-being.
Part 2: Access and Permission Considerations
An important aspect of choosing a topic is access or the ability to conduct your study. For example, you may want to know how leaders in a particular company use social media to increase sales, but they are unwilling to talk to you. If you are not able to gain access to the leaders, then you will not be able to gather the data you need for your study.
Additionally, when selecting a topic for your study, consider whether conducting the study would involve talking to protected classes of people or vulnerable populations. Federal regulations require protecting the welfare of vulnerable subjects who may not be of age, have the authority or ability to speak for themselves, or are vulnerable in any other way.
Protected classes include the following:
- children or minors under age 18
- prisoners
- pregnant women
- people with cognitive impairments or mental disabilities
- people who are educationally or economically disadvantaged
If you are considering conducting research with any of the protected classes of human subjects, consider options for completing your study in a different way. For example, instead of talking to minor children, talk to their parents. There are many creative options!
Write a 250- to 500-word summary in which you:
- Identify what permissions will you need to access the people, organizations, and/or data to conduct your research.
- Identify who you might need to consult to gain permission to conduct your study.
- Explain what potential issues you might encounter.
- Explain how you might address these potential issues.
Compile Part 1 and Part 2 into one document for submission.
Use the provided Student Paper Template to ensure proper APA formatting.
