EDCO 747
RESEARCH PLAN OVERVIEW TEMPLATE
Name:
Stage of Completion:
I.
II.
Introduction
A. Problem Statement
1. What is/are the problem(s), issue(s), or topic(s)?
a. related literature source
b. related literature source
2. Why is it important to study? What difference can it make?
a. related literature source
b. related literature source
3. Use the phrase, “The problem is…”
B. Purpose (focus of inquiry)
1. What is the purpose of this study?
2. Start with the phrase, “The purpose of this study is…”
C. General research questions (remember that qualitative questions are usually
broader and become narrowed down as you move into the actual data
collection/analysis process)
1. First question
2. Second question
3. Third question
D. Research Plan
1. How will the study be conducted? Qualitative or quantitative (has to be
qualitative for this class)
2. Explain why this method choice is the right one for your study
Review of Related Literature
A. Theoretical Framework
1. What philosophical assumption(s) led to your choice of research?
(Ontological, epistemological, axiological, rhetorical, and/or
methodological.) Include citations
2. What is your worldview or a theory that helped shape this study?
(Biblical, Postpositivism, Constructivism, Moral Realism, Behaviorism,
Critical Theory…the theory does not have to come from your textbook
reading) Include citations
B. Important Thinkers/experts/theorists in this field of study (At this point in time
you will just find and list them. The literature review will be interwoven, like a
quilt, later.)
1. Citation (i.e., Graves, D. (2003). Writing: Teachers and children at work
(20th Anniversary ed.). Exeter, NH: Heinemann.)
a. why (seminal book on how to write and writing issues)
b. why (his work is cited in almost all writing textbooks and many
research articles)
2. Citation (i.e., Fulwiler, T. (1987). The journal book. Portsmouth, NH:
Heinemann.)
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III.
a. why (considered first major thinker in the world of journal writing)
b. why (published 5 textbooks and dozens of research articles on this
topic)
C. Related Research (At this point in time you will just find and list them. This
section should grow with each week as you continue to look for more
information. The literature review will be interwoven, like a quilt, later.)
1. Research article (must have a methodology section, results, etc.: i.e.,
Clarke, L. K. (1988). Invented versus traditional spelling in first graders’
writing: Effects on learning to spell and read. Research in the Teaching
of English, 22(3), 281-309.
a. what is it about?
b. why important to this study? (Write key descriptors here—efficacy
and writing link; teachers’ belief in students, etc. These descriptors
will help you form literature review headings later and create the
review of literature ‘quilt.’)
c. and so on…
2. Research article (i.e., Linnenbrink, E. A., & Pintrich, P. R. (2003). The
role of self-efficacy beliefs in student engagement and learning in the
classroom. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 19, 119-137.)
a. what is it about?
b. why important to this study? (Write key descriptors here—efficacy
and writing link; teachers’ belief in students etc. These descriptors
will help you form literature review headings later and create the
review of literature ‘quilt.’)
c. and so on…
Methods
A. Design (approach) and Rationale
1. Which approach are you using? (Phenomenological, Case Study,
Grounded Theory)
2. Why is this approach a valid design for your study?
B. Site
1. Pseudonym (made up name of the site)
2. Location (general information, i.e., “large high school in central VA”)
3. Specific demographics
4. Other pertinent information about the site
C. Participants
1. How many?
2. How selected?
3. Specific information (gender, age, etc.)
D. Role of Researcher or Personal biography (the 2nd is much more detailed…you
will have to decide what you believe is more pertinent to your study)
1. Name
2. Job
3. Background information
4. Anything else that will impact how you view the data and the research
surroundings (i.e., I would have to put my love affair with God)
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E. Data Collection (a critical aspect of qualitative inquiry is rigorous and varied data
collection techniques)
1. Method 1(i.e., interviews)
a. detail (i.e., principal at least 3 times)
b. detail (i.e., parents, snowball sampling, etc.)
2. Method 2
a. detail
b. detail
3. Method 3
a. detail
b. detail
F. Data Analysis
1. 1st Technique (i.e., open coding)
a. information about it (i.e., organizing data into…)
b. specific information on how this process will be done
c. why important (i.e., this process allows the researcher to…)
nd
2. 2 Technique (i.e., constant comparison method of looking at data…)
G. Trustworthiness (the reliability, dependability, and transferability information
goes here)
1. 1st Technique (i.e., member checks)
a. information about it (i.e., having participants review and respond
to…)
b. why important (i.e., this process increases the reliability of the
study because…)
2. 2nd Technique (i.e., audit trail)
a. information about it
b. why important
3. 3rd Technique (i.e., reflexivity or memoing)
a. information about it
b. why important
c. and so on…
H. Ethical Considerations
1. potential issue and how addressed (i.e., negative results could impact
school/researcher, used pseudonyms for all participants and identifiable
names)
2. potential issue and how addressed
3. protection of data
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References
List all references cited in current APA edition format
Appendix A Timeline and Budget
Be specific. Here is an example:
August 2021—Finish coursework ($ for these items)
September 2021—Get committee together and register for dissertation course ($)
Spring 2022—Defend proposal ($)
Summer 2022—Submit research plan to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for
approval ($)
And so on…
Appendix B Interview Questions/Guide
What are the general questions you will ask?
Questions should be opened ended; no yes/no questions
Appendix C: Other Data Collection Procedures (e.g. Focus Groups, Document Analysis, Writing
Prompts, Observations, etc.)
How will you gather information?
Will you use a template with time stamps (every 5 minutes mark the time)?
Will you use a map of the room and scan from left to right?
Will you focus on following a participant?
Appendix D Consent Form
Include a robust, substantive consent form; check out Liberty’s IRB Website for example(s). Do
you need one for various participants? If you need one for students/minors, it is called an ‘assent
form.’
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Formatting
Title Page
Citation
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