Concept Paper/Prospectus

Preliminary Study Definition

The dissertation prospectus, which is also referred to as the concept paper or research plan, is the “pre-proposal” document that provides a preliminary definition of the study you intend to conduct. Within this document, you will clarify the problem to be addressed, state the study purpose and research questions, and describe and justify methodological choices. The overall goal of the doctoral prospectus is to present a well-thought-out plan for conducting your study in a way that demonstrates scientific merit criteria will be met. When done thoroughly and properly, your prospectus will facilitate your progress to proposal stage (usually the first three chapters of your dissertation) and the requisite approvals to conduct your research study (i.e., chair/committee and Institutional Review Board approvals). Working with Dr. Debra Fisher, you will more quickly be approved to advance to proposal stage with a concept paper/prospectus that meets specific criteria for scientific merit:

• Drawing from the relevant literature to support the need for your study and convey how it can advance the scientific knowledge base;

• Communicating contributions your study may make to research theory; and

• Demonstrating features of good research methodology, including proper alignment of statement of the problem, purpose statement, and research questions/hypotheses; description of population/sample frame; detailing of data collection and analysis procedures; and ensuring ethical guidelines are met.

Moving Beyond Silo Mentality and Toward Transdisciplinary Thinking

While conceptualizing your study, you will benefit from Dr. Fisher's innate transdisciplinary conceptual abilities and honed reasoning skills during focused brainstorming sessions. While searching the literature, you will learn how to move beyond the silo mentality of individual scholarly disciplines to attain the highest levels of intellectual integration across multiple knowledge fields. In other words, you will learn how to expand the boundaries of your thinking in order to adopt a transdisciplinary approach to conceptualizing problems and possible solutions. The skills you develop while searching the literature will serve you well while developing your concept paper/prospectus, and you will not be alone when doing this work; Dr. Debra Fisher will be advising and coaching you along the way.