WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
SPRING 2014
Mission: Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging,
learning focused and distinctively Christian environment for professional success, and service to God
and humankind.
COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE:
EDUC 5366 -Topical Research
TERM AND DATES:
Spring 2014
INSTRUCTOR’S NAME: Dr. Peggy Wilson
OFFICE LOCATION:
Phoenix Campus
PHONE
(602) 279-1011
CONTACT:
wilsonp@wbu.edu
EDUC 5366 Catalog Course Description: Development of an in-depth, research-based paper
centering on a self-selected topic in education and an oral presentation to a faculty panel. This course
serves as a capstone course and may be taken in lieu of the comprehensive examination.
Prerequisites: Graduate status, and EDUC 5302 -- Research Methods in Education.
Required Resources
1. Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). (2010). Washington, D.C.:
American Psychological Association.
2. Slavin, R.E. (2007). Educational research in an age of accountability. Boston: Pearson/Allyn &
Bacon. Or the textbook you used in EDUC 5302 -- Research Methods in Education.
Purpose of the Course: The purpose of the course is to learn to apply the principles and practices
learned in EDUC 5302 -- Research Methods in Education to an in-depth research-based study, resultant
paper and oral defense.
Course Goals
1. Students will solidify their understandings of appropriate research practices and techniques.
2. Students will exemplify these understandings through successful completion of an in-depth researchbased project.
3. Students will determine appropriate journals for submission of their findings.
4. Students will develop their oral presentation skills through an oral defense of their work.
Instructor Philosophy: The instructor believes that all elements of a course, including assessment,
should focus on learning. Learning -- and the application of that learning -- is the sine quo non of any
successful course. Therefore, let's focus all elements of the course on our learning, so that others might
learn from us.
Methods of Instruction
1. Lecture, associated handouts, student responses and an assessment instrument will be used to verify
and strengthen understanding of research principles and practices.
2. A seminar format will be used to discuss potential projects, suggest possible approaches to the
studies, and jointly critique on-going progress in the studies.
3. Individual instruction will be used to assist students in problems specific to their study.
ACADEMIC HONESTY:
Wayland "expects students to be honest in all of their academic work. By enrolling, students agree to
adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity and understand that failure to
comply with this pledge may result in academic and disciplinary action."
Plagiarism
“Plagiarism — The attempt to represent the work of another, as it may relate to written or oral works,
computer-based work, mode of creative expression (i.e. music, media or the visual arts), as the product
of one's own thought, whether the other's work is published or unpublished, or simply the work of a
fellow student. When a student submits oral or written work for credit that includes the words, ideas, or
data of others, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and
specific references, and, if verbatim statements are included, through use of quotation marks as well. By
placing one’s name on work submitted for credit, the student certifies the originality of all work not
otherwise identified by appropriate acknowledgements. A student will avoid being charged with
plagiarism if there is an acknowledgement of indebtedness. Examples include:
1. Quoting another person's actual words.
2. Using another person's idea, opinion, or theory, even if it is completely paraphrased in one's own
words.
3. Drawing upon facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials — unless the information is common
knowledge.
4. Submitting a paper purchased from a term paper service as one's own work.
5. Failing to accurately document information or wording obtained on the World Wide Web.
6. Submitting anyone else's paper as one's own work.
7. Violating federal copyright laws, including unauthorized duplication and/or distribution of copyrighted
material.
8. Offering, giving, receiving or soliciting of any materials, items or services of value to gain academic
advantages for yourself or another.”
Source: http://www.spjc.cc.fl.us/webcentral/admit/honesty.htm#plag
Disciplinary action for academic misconduct is the responsibility of the faculty members assigned to the
course. The faculty member is charged with assessing the gravity of any case of academic dishonesty,
and with giving sanctions to any student involved. Penalties may be applied to individual cases of
academic dishonesty. See catalog for more information about academic dishonesty.
Services for Students with a Disability: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
(ADA), it is the policy of Wayland Baptist University that no otherwise qualified person with disabilities
be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any
educational program or activity in the University. The Coordinator of Counseling Services serves as the
coordinator of students with a disability and should be contacted concerning accommodation requests
at (806) 291-3765. Documentation of a disability must accompany any request for accommodations.
It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor, during the first week of class, if
accommodation arrangements have been made with the coordinator of Counseling Services.
Expanded Assignment Information
Active Class Participation. It has been my experience that students like yourselves -- many bringing a
plethora of school and non-school experiences with you -- learn as much from one another through
presentations and discussion as you learn from the instructor. While I will present factual information
each evening, I will also serve to guide and focus our learning through a variety of elements of the
course. If you do not participate actively in each class, we all suffer by learning a little bit less than we
might otherwise.
Calendar of Goals. You will need to develop a calendar of goals that you periodically audit so that you
know you are on track to successfully complete your research, paper and oral defense.
School of Education Research Form. This will need to be completed and submitted early in the course
and includes names of faculty agreeing to serve on your committee.
Publication Sources. (a) Please submit a list of at least three potential publications for your research,
(b) cite the manuscript standards and requirements of each publication, and (c) prepare your research in
accordance with your choice of one of the chosen publications.
Completed Research Study. This, of course, is the primary goal of the course. We will spend the first
and possibly second group meeting reviewing guidelines and scoring rubrics specific to this course, as
well as reviewing your understanding of various research terms and your application of them. Some of
the latter material may be a review of certain elements covered in EDUC 5302, the prerequisite for this
course, while some may be new or expanded.
Committee Presentation and Defense. This will take place at the end of the course. (The term
"defense" may appear rather harsh and strong. It is an academic term meaning that you conduct your
research based on your hypothesis of what you will or will not [the latter a negative hypothesis, which
will be explained further] find. You present your procedures, findings and conclusions to a committee of
more experienced researchers, respond to their questions, and explain (read: defend) what you have
done.
Requirements of the Course, and Assessment and Evaluation of Outcome Competencies
Assignments for the Course
Point Value
Participation
Research Proposal and Calendar of Goals
School of Education Research Form
Completed Research Study
Committee Presentation/Defense
Publication Sources
Total Points Possible for the Course
50 points
50 points
50 points
600 points
200 points
50 points
1,000 points
Date Due
Writing Expectations. We are professional educators. Please spell correctly, paragraph correctly, use
singulars and plurals correctly, and write concisely and precisely. (I believe it was Coleridge who said,
"Poetry is the very best words in their very best order." I would submit that prose is, as well.)
Use your APA Publication Manual extensively. It includes professionally recognized instruction and
examples for reporting on research studies. Most publications do not accept submissions that are not
aligned with the appropriate publication or style manual for that discipline.
Timeliness of Assignments: All assignments must be turned in on time.
Evaluation and University Grading System
Points
900-1,000
800-899
700-799
600-699
Below 600
Grades
A
B
C
D
F
Tentative Course Schedule:
Class 1 Overview of Course Requirements, Procedures and Related
Class 2
Presentation and Discussion of Student Research Projects
Research Proposal and Calendar of Dates Due
Class 3
Individual Meetings with Instructor
Class 4
Individual Meetings with Instructor
Class 5
Progress to Date Discussion and Student Critiques
School of Education Research Form Due
Class 6
Individual Meetings with Instructor
Class 7
Progress to Date Discussion and Student Critiques
Publication Sources Due
Class 8
Individual Meetings with Instructor
Class 9
Individual Meetings with Instructor
Class 10
Classroom Presentation of Research Projects
Class 11
Public Presentation of Research Project and Oral Defense