Discussion: Alignment of Prospectus Sections through Abstract Development
Using the Abstract Guidelines (both Word and PPT versions) and the annotated outline in the Dissertation Prospectus Guide, draft a one-page abstract of your Prospectus draft as if it were an abstract of your three-chapter Proposal. Think of it as a short overview and summary of your Prospectus. Obviously, you will not be able to include research findings, but an abstract for your Prospectus will provide a blueprint for the abstract for your Proposal. In this Discussion, you will review your Historical Alignment Tool (HAT) matrix that you developed in Week 5.

You will also evaluate two of your colleagues Dissertation Prospectus abstracts.

This Discussion provides another opportunity to examine the alignment of all components of your Prospectus, in order to support the creation of your dissertation Prospectus, as you continue to document both the developmental evolution of and the alignment among the problem statement purpose, potential significance, research question, theoretical framework, research design and methodology (method of inquiry), data collection and analysis method, and implications for positive social change. As discussed in Week 5, to do this well often takes a number of iterations as you research, gather, digest, and analyze new information about your research topic.

Continued use of the HAT will provide iterative documentation of your rationale for making key research design/methodology decisions. The HAT should be updated after each Ph.D. residency and at the end of every quarter, to (a) validate your choices, or (b) explain how new knowledge or thoughts have informed changes in your dissertation research design and methodology. Think of it as a master tracking tool for changes you make along the way. Later in the course, you will want to ensure that your Prospectus, HAT, and abstract match one another and are in alignment and up to date.

By Day 3
Use the Abstract Guidelines listed in this weeks Learning Resources, to create your abstract, and then post the one-page abstract of your Prospectus as an attachment to your Discussion.

Read a selection of your at least two of your colleagues’ postings, reviewing their abstracts. Constructive criticism may not be something you have learned to embrace, yet being open to criticism is vital to navigating through the Dissertation process. You will receive it at every step in your Dissertation process. This iterative process is how you create, develop, and improve your Dissertation until it is in final form.

By Day 6
Respond to at least of at least two of your colleagues who have not yet had a reply, by reading the abstracts and providing feedback about alignment and writing.

Alignment:  To what extent does one section lead naturally to another?  In what way are the research questions likely to answer the research problem? How does the purpose relate to the research problem?  Are the required sections in the correct order?  Explain your rationale for each response. Use the Abstract Guidelines as your outline. If you see something out of place or not related to other sections, point that out and offer suggestions of how to improve the document.

Writing:  To what extent is the writing clear and concise? How accurate is the writing in using appropriate grammar and sentence structure? How coherent and logical is the entire abstract? What would help you to understand the details of the research without further questions? What is needed for each section of the abstract to be complete and understandable?

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made. Even though your Instructor will provide feedback on the Prospectus you submit in Week 10, this additional feedback may help you to refine and edit your Prospectus in preparation for submitting it to your Dissertation committee chair.

Submission and Grading Information
To access your rubric:

Week 9 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6