Month, XX YEAR (Arial 10)

1. EFP 601A – Cultivating ARP Topic Ideas Month, XX YEAR (Arial 10)

2. General Information Building an ARP Selecting your Topic Critical Thinking Research Question(s) Types of Approved ARP’s Methodology Design Advisor/Student Relationship Agenda

3. General Information Completion of the Applied Research Project (ARP) requires the ability to find and read professional literature for the purpose of applying it in the work setting. The ARP allows you to choose an area that contributes to your profession, your career, and/or your work environment. You will receive support throughout the process from both faculty and your advisor. The process is broken down into individual components, making it organized and manageable.

4. The ARP Proposal The ARP proposal provides an opportunity for you to put your ARP ideas into the language expected for a capstone presentation. It is the foundation upon which the rest of your ARP is built. Your Applied Research Proposal consists of four elements: Topic Research Question(s) Purpose Statement Problem Statement

5. Building an ARP The purpose of the ARP is to model a professional work that integrates scholarly research with practical application. The mark of a true professional is to be able to proactively seek out knowledge and then apply it in a practical way. Your ARP topic should be intrinsically interesting to you, so that you will put forth the required effort to take ownership of your action research. From the very beginning of the program, you are encouraged to harness potential ARP topics from your: Intellectual curiosity; Academics / schooling; and Work life.

6. Selecting your Topic You will begin the ARP process by sorting through multiple ideas and choosing one topic or area to pursue. Once you have selected a topic of interest to you, talk to your 601A Instructor and discuss how to focus your research questions and successfully research the literature around your topic You will locate and critique 4 relevant peer-reviewed journal articles on your topic in 601A You will create an annotated bibliography based on your literature review in 601B The research question(s) you pose will influence the methodology you use to complete your ARP action research

7. Selecting your Topic You first develop a question(s) that will explore your area of interest. The question(s) leads to a statement of the purpose and identifies the problem to be addressed. Your ARP will consume a significant portion of your concentration and time. Therefore, when selecting your topic, consider: Is this a topic I will be interested in a year from now? Could I spend hours reading about this topic? Am I passionate about this?

8. Critical Thinking - Topic Choose a topic about which you are able to complete action research. Example: My topic requires heavy knowledge in statistics (Quantitative) - Thus I must have the knowledge and skills needed to run the required complex statistical tests and equations. Research the topic/field prior to selecting questions from/in it. Propose action research that can be completed in the time allotted. Your Topic is a few words that encompass the breadth, intention, and summary or your applied research project. This is what readers will read first when encountering your materials. Try to find a balance between describing your project as best you can, while at the same time not being too wordy

9. Research Questions The research question(s) guides your project. The completion of your project will ultimately answer or work towards answering your research question—so be specific. The words you use all mean something, so pay attention to every single word you write down in your question. Using words haphazardly can set up unnecessary expectations for the reader You may incorporate more than one research question, if your project permits. Remember to pick a research question(s) that is answerable / measurable

10. Research Questions- Continued Be mindful to the fact that some questions require some level of statistical analysis to be answered. Your advisor will guide you in regards to this matter. You do not have to write down every single question that will be answered in your project.

11. Research Question(s) Word Play Examples “Are juvenile detention centers effective in rehabilitating troubled youth?” In this question, the word “effective” implies that there is some way of measuring effectiveness. It would be important here to operationally define (at least in your own mind and later in the text) what is considered effective and not effective. Students often throw around words like this without thinking through the principle of what is being asked. “Does growing up poor cause someone to break the law?” In this question, the word “cause” is very powerful. Causality is tricky. Some theorists hold that nothing can ever be totally proven, only disproven. This word, when used carelessly, sets the writer up for failure from the beginning. A better way to write this would be, “Regarding socioeconomic status, what factors contribute to a person breaking the law?” The answer to this question is more obtainable.

12. Research Question Best Practices Open Ended- Be sure to propose questions that are not close ended (those that can be answered with a simple Yes or No) yet allow for detailed elaboration. Measureable- Ensure that you ask questions that can either be: proven, evaluated, computed, illustrated via research findings/studies, analyzed and or fully developed.

13. Research Question Best Practices New/Innovative- It is vital that you pose questions that have not already been addressed in current or previous studies. If you propose similar questions to current studies you must ensure that you take the research in this field to the next level. Your research questions should offer new material, insight and or data to its field Do not regurgitate what other authors or students have already completed. Determine the gaps and shortcomings in their studies and add upon them.

14. Types of Approved ARP’s Program Development Program Evaluation Grant Proposal Alternative Work Product Survey Case Conceptualization Guidebook/Training Manual Please see the guidebook for details concerning each project type

15. Methodology Design Remember that the question you have selected will determine what type of methodology you will need to use. There are three methodologies to consider: Quantitative Qualitative Mixed Quantitative This ARP methodology requires the collection, analysis, and interpretation of original quantitative data conducted through written questionnaires, experiments, existing statistics, and content analysis.

16. Methodology Design Qualitative This ARP methodology requires the collection, analysis, and interpretation of original qualitative data usually gathered through interviews, observation, and focus groups. It can include secondary analysis of preexisting data and archival data. Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative This ARP methodology blends qualitative and quantitative data analysis and interpretation.

17. Advisor Student Relationship During the “B” sections, where you will do the bulk of your ARP work product, you and your advisor will engage in a back-and-forth transmission of documents. This dialectical relationship is meant to be collaborative in nature. It is during these interactions and transmissions that your advisor evaluates your performance. Your performance—and ultimate approval to continue to your next course—is evaluated based on three main criteria: Writing and Work Product Professionalism Work Ethic