COURSE STRUCTURE

This research seminar is intended to provide advanced doctoral students with guidance in conceptualizing and writing proposals for dissertation research in international education. Because many students are also working on comps (which are directly linked to dissertation research), we will also focus on preparing the conceptual framework and reviewing literature that typically are included in comps. I assume that students are well trained in research methods and thus able to focus on conceptualizing and designing a solid proposal. While we can work on mixed methods designs, the primary emphasis in the course is on proposals for qualitative research. Throughout the course, we will focus on the particular issues of designing and conducting research in various contexts – national with international populations and international settings.

The course is divided roughly into three phases.

PHASE I

During the first phase, we work together as a small seminar reading about and discussing the following:

• dissertation research and its relationship with comps;
• the sections of a solid research proposal;
• research questions, relevant foundational literatures, purpose, and significance;
• design for the study including overall approach, data gathering methods, analysis procedures;
• adequacy, usefulness, soundness, trustworthiness, and feasibility of the study;
• research ethics; and
• clear, effective writing and organization for both comps and the proposal.

In addition to participating in discussions on the above topics, you will present your initial research ideas and receive critique and feedback from other seminar members. During this time, I expect you to begin to write sections of your dissertation proposal and/or comps for discussion. Readings from the texts, as well as other readings that we identify, will augment seminar discussions and provide additional resources to use in developing your comps and research proposals.

During this first phase, each class meeting is devoted to the presentation of specific material, discussion of assigned readings, small group work, and some "walk‑throughs". The walk‑through is an exercise where a seminar member volunteers her or his research topic as an example for us to brainstorm possibilities and alternatives about. It is quite useful for illuminating the challenges involved in developing comps and research proposals through concrete examples, and demonstrates vividly the iterative, often messy, process of conceptualizing and designing research. During the walk‑throughs, material and considerations introduced earlier become more clear. A primary purpose here is to decisions involved in conceptualizing and designing solid research.

PHASE II

The second phase is designed for you to discuss problems or issues that have arisen as you develop the sections of your comps and/or proposals. During this phase, please bring to class specific problems you are encountering. For proposals, these typically include issues of sample size, developing concise research questions, linking the research to related literature, interview and observation protocols, and ethical issues, among others. We discuss these problems using your particular dilemmas as examples.

PHASE III

During the third phase of the course, each participant presents orally (and more formally) her or his draft comps ideas and/or dissertation proposal. These oral presentations are opportunities for each participant to receive thoughtful and careful critique of the ideas, logical flow, and conceptualizations of the comps and/or proposal draft. For these presentations, it is most helpful if you can provide an outline of what you have written for the other seminar members. These will be put up on SPARK.

 

Return to Course List