A Comparison of the Cognitive Styles of Deaf Students
with the Cognitive Styles of Hearing Students
By
Thomas E. Griffin
A Dissertation Proposal
Presented to the Faculty of
William Carey International University
Pasadena, California
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Approved and Recommended by
________________________________
Name
Major Advisor
________________________________
Name
Committee Member
________________________________
Name
Committee Member
November 2015
CONTENTS
CONTENT………………………………………………………………………...............i
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1
Statement of the Problem ........................................................................................1
Research Questions .................................................................................................3
Delimitations
Assumptions
Limitations of the Study
Definition of Terms
Methodology and Procedures
Theoretical Framework ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Implications for Improvement of Development Practices ... Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Significance of the Study ........................................................................................4
Implementation and Dissemination ....................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ..............................................................7
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Your introduction begins with an Indented Paragraph (START YOUR PAPER HERE
by replacing this sentence with your own words.)
Problem Statement
A brief description is made of the setting in which the study will be conducted. The
problem to be addressed is clearly stated in a declaratory sentence, and a statement
explaining the purpose of the research project is included. The statements about the subject
to be investigated and the purposes of doing so should be sufficient to provide context but
should not be so detailed or so full of generalities as to overshadow the subsequent sections
that explain the steps to be taken in the project. A conceptual base from which the study
flows should be developed in this section.
Research Questions
In this section, the critical issues pertaining to the problem should be explored more
thoroughly than in the prospectus. This exploration should lead to some specific research
questions to which answers will be sought. In some cases, research hypotheses will be
formulated. They may be based on findings from previous research, on the observations
and experiences of the Associate, or from situations that are significant within the
Associate’s NGO or work setting. The function of this section is to expand on the nature
of the problem and the types of information needed to address it.
Delimitations
These define the scope of what will be studied and what will be excluded from the study
based on whether or not certain issues are closely relevant to the research topic.
Assumptions
The assumptions are the “foundational perspectives for the study. They are not the
issues to be addressed in the research.” And assumptions are often based on commonly
accepted perspectives or “established precedent research” that provide essential
perspectives with which readers are able to interpret the study appropriately (Elliston
2011, 27).
Limitations of the Study
This section should include a description of any conditions, restrictions, or constraints
that may affect the validity of the study.
Definition of Terms
Any terms that are technical or specific to the area under investigation or that are given
meaning in the study other than the way they are ordinarily used should be defined in this
section.
Methodology and Procedures
It is essential that the research methodology to be used should be stated. Procedures
should be outlined in clear, precise, sequential statements about how the project will be
conducted. In many dissertations, it is helpful (if not essential) to seek assistance from some
authoritative or competent source for validation or verification of instruments, statistical
procedures, or the like to be used. Depending on the overall methodology, plans should be
submitted on such matters as the sources of data and how they will be collected, sampling
procedures if they are to be used, and the nature of contemplated survey instruments. The
plan should also include a process for the identification of relevant dependent and
independent variables, if appropriate, and how they will be used to give direction to the
study. The plan must also describe how the data will be treated and how the data will be
related back to each research question.
Theoretical Framework
Models and theories are often used to explain and understand phenomena in social
science research. The theoretical framework consists of models and theories that are
relevant to your research, and it provides a structure under which your research project is
supported. Most social science researches deal with problems that are interdisciplinary in
nature, which would often require the researcher to develop the theoretical framework out
of several relevant disciplines
Implications for Improvement of Development Practice
This section should include a discussion of the expected or anticipated implications of
the study for the improvement of development practice.
Significance of the Study
Significance of the study often identifies the contribution of the study to the existing
body of knowledge, and the immediate and future application of the study to the field work.
It also anticipates the potential personal and corporate impact.
Implementation and Dissemination
Plans should be outlined for the implementation (if possible) and evaluation of the
results. The Associate also describes how the results and recommendations of the study
will be submitted to appropriate persons within the organization or institution and
disseminated to outside organizations, including professional groups and publications.
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
In this chapter, you will review what has been done previously about your research topic,
(1) to demonstrate the significance of your research issue, (2) to identify gaps in the existing
knowledge that your research can fill, (3) to assess relevant theories and perspectives to
establish evaluative tool or framework for your research data. Remember that review of
literature is more than a summary of the precedent research. It should include “an
evaluation of the relevance of the research from the perspective of the researcher’s central
research issue and the contributions it may make to the present study” (Elliston 2011, 45).
REFERENCE LIST
WCIU requires Reference List (Author-Date) style in documentation systems.
References List entries should only include the works cited in the proposal. It is the same
for the dissertation. If you decide to include works you consulted but not cited in your
proposal or dissertation, you may create an Other References section following Reference
List.
The reference list should be a single alphabetized list. The sub-headings in bold
letters are for your reference only. Do not include them in your actual Reference List. For
cases you do not find on this sample list, you should refer to WCIU Reference Guide or
Turabian 8th edition.
Single author or editor
Bacon, Elizabeth E. 1980. Central Asians under Russian Rule. Michael M. J. Fischer.
Intro. 2nd ed. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press.
De Ridder, Richard R. 1971. Discipling the Nations. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book
House.
Geyer, Georgie Anne. 1994. Waiting for Winter to End: An Extraordinary Journey
through Soviet Central Asia. Washington: Brassey’s, Inc.
Gilliland, Dean S. 1989. Pauline Theology and Mission Practice. Jos, Plateau State,
Nigeria: Albishir Bookshops (Nig) Ltd.
Glasser, Arthur F. 1983. Kingdom and Mission. Pasadena, CA: Fuller Theological
Seminary, School of World Mission.
Morgan, G. Campbell. 1924. The Acts of the Apostles. Philadelphia: Fleming H. Revell.
Multiple authors
Raab, Laura and Bobby Clinton. 1985. Barnabas—the Encouraging Exhorter: A Study in
Mentoring. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Resources.
Editor, translator instead of author
Lattimore, Richmond, trans. 1951. The lliad of Homer. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press.
Editor, translator in addition to author
Bonnefoy, Yves. 1995. New and Selected Poems. Ed. John Naughton and Anthony
Rudolf. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Edition number
Zernov, Nicolas. 1978. The Russians and Their Church. 3rd ed. New York: St.
Vladimir’s Seminary Press.
Single chapter in an edited book
Atkin, Muriel. 1997. Tajikistan. In Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and
Uzbekistan Country Studies. ed. Glenn E. Curtis, 197-290. Federal Research
Division Library of Congress.
Lubin, Nancy. 1997. Uzbekistan. In Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
and Uzbekistan Country Studies. ed. Glenn E. Curtis, 377-468. Federal Research
Division Library of Congress.
Article in a print journal
Akiner, Shirin. 2000. “Religion's Gap.” Harvard International Review 22, no. 1
(January): 62-65.
Peyrouse, Sébastien. 2007. “The Relationship between Church and State in the PostSoviet World: The Case of Christianity in Central Asia.” Journal of Church and
State 49, no. 1 (January): 97-115.
Article in an online journal
Brown, Campbell. 2011. “Consequentialize This.” Ethics 121, no. 4 (July): 749-71.
Accessed December 1, 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/660696.
Thesis or dissertation
Blincoe, Robert A. 2012. “A New Social Contract Relating Mission Societies to
Ecclesiastical Structures.” PhD diss., William Carey International University.