Syllabus - Research Design

NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

IMPORTANT COURSE PREREQUISITE: You must be formally admitted for doctoral study in order to receive credit for this course.In addition, you must have successfully completed EPS 525, Introduction to Statistics, before taking EDR 720 Research Design.

These prerequisites are listed in the NAU Graduate Catalog as well as on our first EDR 720 course Web page.

***Students who are discovered to be in violation of one or both of the above prerequisites will be externally administratively withdrawn (involuntarily dropped) from the course.***

In addition, because we use this course to help you develop a defensible doctoral dissertation proposal as the final paper, it is strongly recommended that you wait to take EDR 720 until you have a general idea as to what research topic you intend to pursue for your dissertation.

If you do not yet have such a general idea of a potential dissertation topic that might interest you, this means you will not be able to successfully complete the EDR 720 assignments.

In the above case, it is strongly recommended that you wait to take EDR 720 Research Design until after you have done one or both of the following:

1. Completed additional content coursework (requirements and/or electives) in your assigned program of doctoral study and in your major;

2. Begun to regularly consult with your assigned dissertation chair and/or committee members to help you identify a researchable dissertation topic in your field which will be acceptable to your committee.

What You Will Need for EDR 720:

- Access to an Internet account at home, school or work

Preferably this will be your NAU student 'dana' account!!!

Other Internet providers may not work well with our Website and Virtual Conference Center (VCC).

*** You must maintain your e-mail and Internet access connection for the duration of the course (entire Summer 2002 10-week session, 6/4/02 through 8/7/02). ***

How the Internet Component of the Class Will Work:

1. You'll start by sending me an e-mail message addressed to: statcatmd@aol.com containing the following information:
   
   
   1. Your name;
   2. Your mailing address(es);
   3. Your contact telephone number(s);
   4. Your FAX number if you have one -- not required -- the phone and FAX numbers are just in case I should ever need to reach you quickly and another way (an answer to a question, a sudden change in schedule, etc.);
      
      

2. Our course materials are located on the following Web site (URL):
   
   http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~mid/edr720

   
   

3. These course materials are organized as follows:
   Five modules:
   Each of which contains from one to four topics: And each of these topics ends with one or more of the following types of specific assignments:
   
   
   • Individual assignments;
   • Group assignments; and/or
   • Web-based assignments.
   
   *** I also provide all EDR 720 Qualitative students with access to my EDR 610 Introduction to Research materials as well! You are welcome to download as much of my EDR 610 Intro to Research curriculum as you wish, for your review or records, from the following Website/URL:
   
   
   http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~mid/edr610
   
   
4. You'll navigate to our Web site/URL, print out and study the topics contained in each module, and complete each type of assignment by the due dates listed in this syllabus.
   
   
5. IMPORTANT: Please post INDIVIDUAL assignments and your final paper (doctoral proposal) IN THE VIRTUAL CONFERENCE CENTER (VCC) FOLDER WITH YOUR NAME.
   
   
6. In other words, PLEASE DISREGARD the TEXT SUBMISSION BOX at the end of INDIVIDUAL VCC ASSIGNMENTS and please INSTEAD post your completed individual assignment in your designated VCC folder;
   
   File attachments will NOT be accepted or reviewed under ANY circumstances.
   
   
7. Please post GROUP assignments in the VCC folder labeled by that particular group assignment.
   
   
8. If you need extra help with any computer/Internet based activities, there are plenty of help and extra practice resources available!
   
   
   1. Our home page for the course (our preceding URL) has a "Help" button and other links to special resources and assistance; and
      
      
   2. The NAUOnline Web page contains similar resources, including a button/link that will let you ‘road test a course online’ and practice your Internet navigational skills. The NAUOnline URL is:
      
      
      http://www.nau.edu/nauonline
      
      
   *** I am also online every day, including weekends! I also check for voice-mail messages several times daily! Thus, if you ever have a question regarding the assignments, please e-mail or call me and chances are, I'll be right back in touch with you within the day!
   
   

   You are strongly encouraged to contact me anytime
   (e-mail, by phone, in person, etc.)
   with any questions or concerns you might have!
   
   I believe that every problem is solvable
   (or at least improvable) if we:
   a) communicate openly and honestly about it; and
   b) put our heads together to brainstorm possible solutions.
   
   But I need you to tell me what's working,
   what's not working, and
   how we can make things better for you!

   6. You are also expected to check our Virtual Conference Center (VCC) at least every other day, and ideally every day, particularly the following areas:

   (a) VCC "Announcements and Updates" folder;

   (b) VCC "Questions and Answers" folder;

   (c) VCC "Newsletters" folder.

   7. Please post any questions related to our course curriculum, syllabus, how we do things, etc. in our VCC "Questions and Answers" folder! You might check this folder first, as well as "Announcements and Updates," to see whether your question has already been answered.

   8. Please use direct e-mail to the instructor only for highly confidential and/or personal urgent communications! Instead, please post unanswered questions in the VCC "Questions and Answers" folder. I will check our VCC at least once every day and endeavor to respond to all questions within 24 business hours. This will help reduce e-mail 'traffic flow' in general, thereby helping to ensure my timely return of detailed feedback on your e-mailed assignments.

   
   
   
   Due Dates for Assignments (all assignments are due on or before 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on the dates shown in this section):

    

   URGENT ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION UPDATE: All assignments MUST be submitted EXACTLY on the due date specified.
   
   For all listed due dates, 5:00 p.m., Mountain Standard Time is the assumed deadline.
   
   You may submit 'early' assignments NO MORE THAN ONE DAY PRIOR TO THE STATED DUE DATE.
   
   Early (more than one day prior to stated due date)submissions will be assessed a three-point penalty.
   
   This reinforces the fact that you must remain continually and actively engaged in our course throughout its duration.

   
   
   ***Week of Tuesday, 6/4/02: (first official day of instruction): please familiarize yourself with our Web site, navigate to the URL, begin to download and print out our course materials, use the "Help" and other resource buttons provided on our Web page to gain practice in any specific task(s) with which you may be unfamiliar, etc.

    

   In addition, you should send me your initial e-mail message with required startup information (name, contact address(es), telephone number(s), FAX number if you have one), during this first week.

    

   ***URGENT: Students who have not checked in with me by sending me the above e-mail "I'm aboard" and background information message by 5:00 p.m. MST on Friday, 6/7/02 will be externally administratively withdrawn (involuntarily dropped) from the course. This is university-wide policy, regardless of course format, and is explained in the current NAU Graduate Catalog.
   
   

   Module and Topic	Due Date for ANY/ALL Assignments Included in This Module (individual, group, and/or Web-based assignments) IMPORTANT: In the case of VCC assignments where you are asked to go back and review and comment on others' posts, you have ONE CALENDAR WEEK from the due date shown below to do so. The due date shown will pertain to YOUR ORIGINAL VCC post.
   Module #1, The Research Road Map Topic #1: Introduction to Research	Assignment #1: Get a Dana Account (not graded; prerequisite learning activity)   Group Assignment #1: Register in the VCC (not graded; prerequisite learning activity)   Web Activity #1: Search the Web   Due Wednesday, 6/5/02.
   Module #1, The Research Road Map Topic #2: The Dissertation Process	Assignment #1: The Research Road Map   Due Friday, 6/7/02.
   Module #1, The Research Road Map Topic #3: So...What's Your Problem?	Group Assignment #1: Discuss Myths & Misnomers   Assignment #1: "What's the Problem" Scenarios   Web Activity #1: How to Choose a Dissertation Topic   Due Wednesday, 6/12/02.
   Module #2, Literature Review & Introduction   Topic #1: Blast from the Past	Assignment #1: One-Minute Paper, Literature Review   Assignment #2: Tackling Your Literature Review   Web Activity #1: Literature Review Scavenger Hunt   Due Wednesday, 6/19/02.
   Module #2, Literature Review & Introduction   Topic #2: All the World's a Stage	Assignment #1: Framing Your Problem Statement   Group Assignment #1: Share Your Problem Statement with Classmates   Assignment #2: Problem Statement Crossword Puzzle (not graded; for self-test, self-enrichment only)   Due Wednesday, 6/26/02.
   Module #2, Literature Review & Introduction   Topic #3: The Introduction	Assignment #1: One-Minute Paper on Textbook Reading   Group Assignment #1: Discuss Sample Dissertation Introductions   Due Friday, 7/5/02.
   Module #3, Research Design Methodology   Topic #1: Research Design & Procedures	Assignment #1: Your Population & Sampling Procedures   Due Monday, 7/8/02.
   Module #3, Research Design Methodology   Topic #2: According to Its Own Design	Assignment #1: Your Design Methodology   Assignment #2: The All-But-Dissertation Survival Guide   Due Friday, 7/12/02.
   Module #3, Research Design Methodology Topic #3: Limitations & Delimitations	Group Assignment #1: Explore Limitations & Delimitations of Your Own Research   Due Monday, 7/15/02.
   Module #4, Survey Research Topic #1: Inquiring Minds Want to Know	Assignment #1: Try Your Hand at Writing Survey Items   Web Activity #1: The Friendship Survey   Due Friday, 7/19/02.
   Module #4, Survey Research Topic #2: Ask & Ye Shall Receive	Assignment #1: One-Minute Paper onTextbook Reading   Assignment #2: Create Likert-Scaled Survey Items Due Monday, 7/22/02.
   Module #4, Survey Research   Topic #3: Many Happy Returns	Web Activity #1: Critique a Cover Letter   Web Activity #2: Compose a Cover Letter Due Friday, 7/26/02.
   Module #4, Survey Research   Topic #4: Reliability & Validity of the Survey	Group Assignment #1: Quant vs. Qual Testing   Web Activity #1: Create a Validity/Reliability Metaphor   Due Monday, 7/29/02.
   Module #5, Sources of Information   Topic #1: The Multimethod Approach	Group Assignment #1: Why Use a Multimethod Approach Assignment #1: Your Doctoral Research Proposal IMPORTANT: If you do NOT post the final paper (doctoral research proposal) by 5:00 p.m. MST on Friday, 8/2/02, you implicitly agree to a two-letter grade penalty on your final grade. Due Friday, 8/2/02

*** You should keep copies of all assignments submitted to me for your own records.

Grading Policy:

Additional IMPORTANT Grading & Student Evaluation Policies

1. Proficiency in both e-mail use (sending/receiving) and Internet navigation (accessing Web sites/URLs/links) are necessary so as to enable you to fully concentrate on the research material for the course. It would create an unfair 'dual burden' for you to have to learn the computing navigational skills at the same time that you are also learning the research material. Therefore, students who are discovered not to possess these stated computer prerequisites will be externally administratively withdrawn (involuntary dropped) from the course. Likewise, students who do NOT send me their contact information during the first week of the Summer '02 ten-week session will be subject to external administrative withdrawal from the course.
   
   
2. It is each student's responsibility -- not the instructor's or NAU's -- to secure dependable access to computing equipment and/or facilities in advance of the beginning of the course (6/4/02).
   
   
3. Students in the Summer '02 ten-week session of EDR 720 Research Design must agree to comply with the stated due dates as per the syllabus, even if they are in a different academic major and subject to different due dates within their own individual academic departments generally. Assignments submitted after the announced due dates (please see earlier listing) will be subject to the following "lateness penalty:" one point will be deducted for each day that the assignment is late (and please see following point);
   
   
4. Assignments that are five or more days late will not be accepted or graded. The recorded grade for such assignments will be zero points. In the case of the final paper, any submissions past 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 2nd will likewise not be accepted or graded and will result in an automatic two-letter grade penalty assessed against your final grade. IMPORTANT RELATED POINT: Massive submissions of past-due assignments towards will not be reviewed and will result in an automatic grade of 'F' for the course;
   
   
5. Students are expected to make a good-faith commitment to be fully engaged in the course during the entire its entire duration. Therefore, students who are 'absent offline' for three or more days for any reason MUST agree to withdraw from the course. Provided that you have been doing acceptable work up until the point of absence, you will receive a 'withdraw pass' as your recorded grade;
   
   
6. Students must agree to implement in good faith any recommendations I may have for them at any time in the interests of improving their course performance. Such recommendations may include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:
1. referral to the NAU Learning Assistance Center for individual tutorial assistance;
2. referral to the NAU Learning Assistance Center for help with study skills;
3. referral to the NAU Learning Assistance Center for help with time management skills;
4. referral to Cline Library for help with locating research sources.

A Word on "Attitude"

In a course such as this, where we have opportunities to work more flexibly and directly one-on-one regarding your learning needs, it is even more critical to keep in mind how a "good attitude" can greatly facilitate our working in positive partnership on your learning needs! For purposes of this course, we might consider a "good attitude" to be defined as follows:

1. A willingness to be 'open and up-front' with me about any problems, concerns, even suggestions on 'how to make things better' in a prompt, timely, honest manner; and

2. A corresponding willingness to work actively and positively with me on resolution of any such problems, concerns, etc. This means being willing to listen to my suggestions for resolution; to offer your own reactions to my ideas; to implement whatever solutions we jointly agree upon; and to provide me with 'progress reports' on what's working, what's not working, etc.

1. Reporting a problem to me right away and being open to my ideas for solving it would be indicative of "a very good attitude:"

2. On the other hand, keeping a problem to yourself, letting it fester, build up, upset you internally, but trying to conceal it from us and saying nothing to me about it, "pretending nothing is wrong" and/or "wishing and hoping it'll get better by itself," would be indicative of "a very bad attitude."

*** Please don't hesitate to follow up with me if you would like further clarification of this vitally important course expectation!!!***

*** The biggest single cause of problems that arise is PROCRASTINATION!! It leads to unnecessary stress and difficulty--which can be avoided by pacing yourself appropriately!

It is important for you to set aside regular study time (daily, weekly, etc.) to make regular progress on your course reading, assignments, and related responsibilities. The NAU Graduate College estimates a minimum of 15-20 hours per week to study and prepare for each course as the norm for graduate students.

*** IMPORTANT: This course does NOT carry the option of a grade of "Incomplete." You may at any time elect to accept a grade of "Withdraw", which would enable you to re-enroll for the course at a future date and time.

- - -

*** The primary keys to success in this course may be summarized in two steps:

Policy on Academic Honesty, Integrity, Plagiarism, etc. The policies, rules and regulations set forth in the current NAU Student Handbook shall apply to this course. For more information, please contact NAU's Office of Student Life (928-523-5181).

Just one more thing --
please remember that I'm ready, willing and eager to do my best
to make this a productive and enjoyable experience for you!

Go back to Research Design

E-mail M. Dereshiwsky at statcatmd@aol.com
Call M. Dereshiwsky at (520) 523-1892

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED