Foundation for Research

Instructions

Using the CSU Online Library, search for and choose a research report or doctoral dissertation from a database in the CSU Online Library. You may choose a report or dissertation on any subject matter that interests you; however, it must meet the criteria below.

• The report/dissertation must be original research and not a review of another researcher’s work.
• The report/dissertation must have been published within the last 8 years.
• The research must have utilized a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approach.
• The report/dissertation must be of adequate length and content to be able to critique all of the requirements below.

Note: Dissertations are accessible in the Dissertations and Theses Global database. You are encouraged to explore the resources in the section.

Once you have selected and thoroughly reviewed the report/dissertation, you will write a critique. At a minimum, you must include the information below.

• In your own words, give a brief summary of the research.
• Assess the research methods employed by the researcher, explaining why you agree with his or her choices or what alternatives you would propose.
• Assess the researcher’s data collection and analysis methods, explaining why you agree with his or her choices or what alternatives you would propose.
• Examine the data sets in the research. Do you agree that they support the researcher’s findings? Why, or why not?
• Assess the effectiveness of the overall research design, data analysis, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Evaluate the report/dissertation for effectiveness in presenting the author’s research.
• Suggest specific follow-on research that can build upon the findings in the report/dissertation.

Your case study must be at least four, but no more than five, pages in length—not counting the title and reference pages. Your case study must present an insightful and thorough analysis with strong arguments and evidence and must clearly apply the concepts covered in this course. In addition to the selected report/dissertation, you must use at least three academically reliable sources. Adhere to 7th edition APA Style when creating citations and references for this assignment. APA formatting, however, is not necessary. Please note that no abstract is needed.