Presented to the Western Illinois University
College of Education and Human Sciences
Research Symposium
April 25, 2011
Kerrie Bishop, LEJA Graduate Student
Advisors: Professor Jill J. Myers
Dr. Kenneth A. Clontz
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Your committee is comprised of not only coaches,
but also of team players and umpires
Sometimes the hardest part is getting started or
getting that “perfect hit” (Chapter I)
The bases are like the rest of the thesis (Chapters
II, III, IV, &V), stages you accomplished as you go
Most of the work is getting to 3rd base (Chapter
IV), then you’re in the “homestretch” (Chapter V)
Some may strike out; others get the home run
Your readers are like the fans of a game
This presentation discusses the process of
completing a master's thesis. I include the
initial consideration of selecting a topic,
determining specifically what and how to study
it, researching prior findings, conducting the
research, and reporting on the
findings. Specific considerations, processes,
issues, and the research design of this
researcher's thesis are included to assist
current or future graduate students with their
research.
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What are your interests and what do you
expect to find?
What prior research has been completed on
your topic?
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Is your topic too broad or too narrow?
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What type of research will you conduct?
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Exploratory research-structures and identifies
new problems
Constructive research-develops solutions to a
problem
Empirical research-tests the feasibility of a
solution using empirical evidence
There are 2 distinct types of research:
 Primary research-the collection of
data that does not yet exist
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Secondary research-summary,
collation and/or synthesis of existing
research
In social sciences, 2 research methods can be
applied, depending on the properties of the
subject matter and on the objective of the
research:
 Qualitative research-the understanding of human
behavior and the reasons that govern such
behavior (qualities)
 Quantitative research- systematic empirical
investigation of quantitative properties and
phenomena and their relationships (quantities)
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What kind of research are you conducting?
What are you studying?
Human Subjects?
Are they within a special or protected
population?
Secondary data?
Documents?
Exemptions?
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Choose professors with knowledge, expertise,
or an interest in the topic
Who will chair the committee?
What direction can the chair give you for
formulating the thesis?
Other committee members: What assistance
can they provide?
Do all members of the committee work well
with each other?
Chapter I: Introduction
 Chapter II: Literature Review
 Chapter III: Research Methodology
 Chapter IV: Data Presentation
 Chapter V: Summary, Conclusions, and
Recommendations
*It is important to follow all of the guidelines
of the Graduate School!
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Introduction to the topic and why it is
important to study it
What has been written about it?
Include interesting aspects about the topic
Popular readings and scholarly work should
be included
Include history, statistics, prior research
Tell the reader what kind of study you are
conducting
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Theoretical Orientation
Definitions relevant to the topic must be included
Begin by conducting a general search to
determine what has already been written on the
topic
Discuss past significant findings on the topic
Include the pioneering researchers’ works, if
possible
Search for articles and books within recent years
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Methodology: What method of research are
you going to choose?
Are you conducting survey research, analyzing
secondary data, or conducting an experiment?
Time constrictions - Can you get your data?
What are your independent and dependent
variables (IVs and DVs)
What are your hypotheses?
What statistical package are you going to use?
SPSS, Microcase, and PSAW?
Any limitations to your research? Reliability?
Missing data? Low response rates?
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Frequency tables: Are there enough findings to
conduct statistical analyses?
Collapsing variables and recoding: How to do it
Running statistics: Is there a correlation, a
relationship between the variables?
Include descriptive statistics and tables
Is there variance within your variables?
Include means and medians for variables with
numbers (i.e., age, income amounts, time
amounts)
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Summary of your findings
Are your findings statistically significant
within the existing body of literature?
Are there disagreements and why?
Policy statements: How can others use the
data and findings?
Research limitations
Recommendations for future research
Tie everything together and write the
abstract
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Titled: Factors Associated with Help-Seeking Adult Domestic
Violence Victims: An Exploratory Study of Client Intake
Information in Four Midwestern Counties
My exploratory study examines information compiled through
adult client intake forms completed by advocates of a domestic
violence agency by responses given to them from victims seeking
various forms of assistance
Summaries of the intake forms from two full fiscal years (July 01,
2008 to June 30, 2010) are being analyzed to determine whether
the services domestic violence victims seek and receive are
dependent on other variables (i.e., type of violence experienced,
the relationship to the offender, and victim and offender
demographic information)
SPSS is being utilized for statistical analysis
The following slides contain the forms used by the domestic
violence agency when completing intakes of domestic violence
victims seeking assistance
Independent Variables (IVs)
Dependent Variables (DVs)
*Victims’ Sex
*Victims’ Age
*Victims’ Ethnicity
*Victims’ Race
Victims’ Employment Status
Victims’ Education Level
Victims’ Marital Status
Victims’ Pregnancy Status
Victims’ # of Dependents
**Primary Presenting Issue
Offense Location
**Other Presenting Issues
Victims’ Income Source
Referral Source
*Victims’ Special Needs
Offenders’ Sex
Offenders’ Race
Relationship to Offender
Offenders’ Age
Offenders’ Visitation Rights with Children
Services Sought
Services Received
**Primary Presenting Issue
**Other Presenting Issues
*major independent variables
**can be an independent variable or a
dependent variable