Overview
In the Module Five discussion, you stated your proposed
design for your capstone project research proposal. This included your chosen
method, design, and data-collection instruments along with the reason behind
each. For Milestone Three, you will build on your proposed design to develop a
complete paper that discusses all aspects of the method, design, and data for
your proposal. Research design is a major section of the capstone research
proposal. Completing this milestone will provide you with a solid foundation
for your capstone project. Refer to the Module Five
and Six resources for more detailed information on research design. Review the
Final Project Guidelines and Rubric and the Final Project and Milestone
Alignment Guide to see how the critical elements in this milestone prepare you
to meet the final project requirements and course outcomes used to evaluate
your final capstone project.
The final project is meant for you to propose a hypothetical
study. You are not and should not be conducting human-subject research for this
project. It is not necessary for this assignment. All human-subject research
requires written approval from the SNHU COCE Institutional Review Board to
protect the welfare and ensure ethical treatment of the subjects.
Prompt
Write a five- to seven-page paper in which you describe the
methodology, design, and data management tools you plan to use in your research
proposal. Define the process from the selection of participants (and
stakeholders, as applicable) through data collection to data analysis,
including any limitations and assumptions. Provide a detailed plan to collect
and analyze data and disseminate findings. Include all ethical considerations.
Your paper should give a complete description of the entire process used to
conduct the study. If your proposal involves implementation of interventions,
then include a program evaluation component that describes your research
design.
In your submission, be sure to include the following
critical elements:
State the chosen research method or methods used.
Are they qualitative, quantitative, or both?
Provide support of method selection. Discuss why the chosen
method or methods are best for the research topic or evaluation of the
intervention.
Justify your choice of method, design, sampling, data
collection, analysis, and overall process with logic and evidence.
Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the
research design. Explain why it is the best design for the proposed
study or evaluation. Support your explanation with logic and specific evidence.
Select valid and reliable data-collection tools for the research questions (and research design). If you develop
data-collection tools, explain how validity and reliability will be determined.
Support the selection of the population and sampling
procedures.
Describe data collection. Describe the process used to
collect data from recruitment to consent to data collection. Include ethical
considerations and mitigation. Include how you will handle the following:
Recruiting and managing study participants
Eliminating or mitigating any chance of harm to participants
Data handling, storage, and access
Handling consent, management of data, and requests to
withdraw
Protecting confidentiality for the entire life of the data
Explain the proposed data-analysis process, including the
following:
Any transcription and transformation of data for analysis
Use of tools, including software, for analysis
Select and provide justification for use of statistical
analysis and/or processes for qualitative analysis.
Discuss methods for ensuring reliability of qualitative
analysis if applicable.
Explain the limitations and assumptions connected to the
research.
Identify potential limitations and delimiters to be used.
Describe proposed dissemination of findings. Propose how
findings will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders, users, and interested
parties.
Include any plans for presentation and publication of
material.
Fully explain the ethical considerations that apply to the
proposal or intervention.
Identify the ethical considerations associated with the
individuals, communities, and organizations most likely to be affected by the
identified gap or problem.
Articulation of Response: Ensure the submission has no major
errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, or syntax.
What to Submit
Your paper must be submitted as a five- to seven-page Word
document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins,
and at least three sources cited in APA format.
Milestone Three Rubric
Criteria Meets
Expectations (100%) In Progress
(80%) Does Not Meet
Expectations (0%) Value
Research Method(s) States
chosen research method or methods used and whether they are qualitative,
quantitative, or both States chosen
research method or methods used but errs in
determination of type Does not state
chosen research method or methods used and whether they are qualitative,
quantitative, or both 8
Support of Method(s) Discusses
why the chosen method or methods are best for the research topic or evaluation
of the intervention Discusses why the
chosen method or methods are best for the research topic or evaluation of the intervention but discussion is unconvincing or there are
gaps in logic Does not discuss
why the chosen method or methods are best for the research topic or evaluation
of the intervention 9
Strengths and Weaknesses Assesses
the strengths and weaknesses of the research design and why it is the best
design for the proposed study or evaluation of the intervention Assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the
research design and why it is the best design for the proposed study or
evaluation of the intervention but assessment is cursory or there are gaps in
logic Does not assess the
strengths and weaknesses of the research design and why it is the best design
for the proposed study or evaluation of the intervention 10
Data-Collection Tools Selects
valid and reliable data-collection tools for the research questions (and
research design) or develops data-collection tools and explains how validity
and reliability will be determined Selects
or develops data-collection tools for the research questions (and research
design) but not all tools are valid or reliable or explanation for how validity
and reliability will be determined has gaps in logic Does not select valid and reliable data-collection tools for the
research questions (and research design) or develop data-collection tools and
explain how validity and reliability will be determined 10
Population and Sampling Procedures Supports the selection of the population and sampling procedures Makes an
attempt to support the selection of the population and sampling
procedures, but additional support would prove beneficial Does not support the selection of
the population and sampling procedures 10
Data Collection Describes
the process used to collect data from recruitment to consent to data collection
and includes ethical considerations and mitigation Describes the process used to collect data from recruitment to
consent to data collection and but does not include ethical considerations and
mitigation or description of process is cursory Does
not describe the process used to collect data from recruitment to consent to
data collection or include ethical considerations and mitigation 8
Data-Analysis Process Explains
the proposed data-analysis process, including any transcription and
transformation of data for analysis, as well as the use of tools, including
software, for analysis Explains
the proposed data-analysis process for analysis, but not all required elements
are included Does not explain the
proposed data-analysis process, including any transcription and transformation
of data for analysis, or the use of tools, including software, for analysis 8
Justification of Statistical Analysis and/or Qualitative
Analysis Selects and
justifies statistical analysis and/or process for qualitative analysis and
discusses the methods for ensuring reliability of qualitative analysis if
applicable Selects and justifies
statistical analysis and/or process for qualitative analysis but does not
discuss the methods for ensuring reliability of qualitative analysis if
applicable or justification has gaps in logic Does
not select and justify statistical analysis and/or process for qualitative
analysis or discuss the methods for ensuring reliability of qualitative
analysis if applicable 8
Limitations and Assumptions Explains
the limitations and assumptions connected to the research Explains the limitations and assumptions
connected to the research, but explanation is cursory or contains inaccuracies Does not explain the limitations
and assumptions connected to the research 8
Dissemination of Findings Proposes
how the findings will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders, users, and
interested parties Proposes
how the findings will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders, users, and
interested parties, but approach will not be effective for all stakeholders and
parties Does not propose how the findings
will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders, users, and interested parties 8
Ethical Considerations Fully
explains the ethical considerations that apply to the research proposal or
intervention Partially
explains the ethical considerations of the research proposal or intervention Does not explain the ethical considerations of
the research proposal or intervention 8
Articulation of Response Submission
has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or
organization Submission has minor
errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization with
room for improvement Submission has major
errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization
