INTRODUCTION/PREFACE |
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
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xiii | |
SECTION ONE PREPARING FOR THE THESIS |
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The Social Aspects of a Thesis |
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A Good Fit for the Committee Members |
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The Study Needs to Be Done |
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Putting Together a Committee |
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Types and Functions of Committee Members |
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Purchase Supplies in Advance |
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Confronting the Demons of Self-Paced Writing |
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Exercises for Goal-Oriented Writing |
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Program Evaluation Thesis |
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General Methodological Types |
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Scales and Assessment Instruments |
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Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Design |
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3 DEVELOPMENT OF THE RESEARCH QUESTION |
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Locating and Assembling Information |
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4 THE INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD AND THE HUMAN SUBJECTS REVIEW COMMITTEE |
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Submitting a Proposal for Full Review |
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Additional Application Materials |
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Theses Resulting from Ongoing Departmental Research |
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5 SUGGESTIONS FOR CITING AND WRITING |
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Academic Writing and the First Person |
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Avoid the Overuse of Quotes |
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Vary Phrasing and Avoid Repetition |
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Avoid Unnecessary Verbiage |
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Ensure Your Sources Are Reliable |
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SECTION TWO THE PROSPECTUS OR PROPOSAL |
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6 INTRODUCTION AND PROBLEM STATEMENT |
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Historical Background and Current Issues |
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Facts and Figures versus Case Examples |
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Constructing an Outline for Your Introduction |
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The Purpose of the Study Is |
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Transitioning from the First Chapter |
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The Purpose of a Literature Review |
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Organizing the Literature Review |
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Generalized Findings versus Specific Results |
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Summarizing the Results and Checking Citations |
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Concluding Your Literature Review |
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The Contents of a Conclusion |
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Explaining Your Methodology |
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The Advantage of Explaining Your Methodology in the Prospectus |
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The Essential Contents of a Methodology Chapter |
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The Two Major Methodological Types |
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Quantitative Methodologies |
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Qualitative Methodologies |
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Writing Up the Essential Elements |
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Overview of the General Research Design |
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The Research Setting and Population from Which the Sample Is Drawn |
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Source (or Sources) of the Data and Sampling Procedures |
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Statement of Hypotheses or Research Questions |
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Methodology for Collecting Data |
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Variables Used in the Analysis and Their Description |
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General Statistical Models to Be Applied |
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Methodological Limitations |
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Acknowledging Your General Limitations |
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Specific Limitations in Your Data |
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Defending Your Methodology |
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9 THE PROSPECTUS AND THE PROSPECTUS DEFENSE |
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Content of a Thesislike Approach |
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The Content of an Independent Document Prospectus |
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General Elements Found in All Prospectus Formats |
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Considerations in Preparation for the Prospectus Defense |
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What to Do and What Not to Do |
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Summary: The Prospectus Milestone |
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SECTION THREE ANALYZING INFORMATION AND DRAWING CONCLUSIONS |
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10 ANALYZING AND PRESENTING YOUR DATA AND FINDINGS |
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Bivariate Statistical Analysis |
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Controlling for Variables in Tables |
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Controlling Variables Statistically |
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Hints for Special Parts of the Analysis Chapter |
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Creating Tables and Figures |
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157 | |
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Using Variable Names in Text or Tables |
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158 | |
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Using Quotes from Interviews |
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11 CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, AND LIMITATIONS |
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The End versus the Beginning |
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Implications for Research |
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Limitations of the Interpretations and Implications |
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SECTION FOUR THE FINAL DEFENSE AND BEYOND |
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12 THE FINAL DOCUMENT AND THESIS DEFENSE |
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177 | |
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181 | |
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Choosing a Presentation Style and Format |
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183 | |
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The Results of the Defense |
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184 | |
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185 | |
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13 REVISING YOUR THESIS INTO ARTICLES AND PRESENTATIONS |
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186 | |
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186 | |
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Possible Scholarly Venues |
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187 | |
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Paper Competitions and Awards |
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188 | |
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Organizations Typically Sponsoring Student Paper Competitions |
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188 | |
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189 | |
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Publishing a Journal Article: What to Expect |
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190 | |
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191 | |
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Preparing a Manuscript for Submission |
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192 | |
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Reducing the Size of the Thesis |
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192 | |
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Revising Thesis Terminology |
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193 | |
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Determining a Suitable Journal Outlet |
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Examples of Student Publications from Thesis |
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196 | |
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197 | |
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LITERATURE REFERENCES AND RESOURCES |
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198 | |