PROSPECTUS COURSEWORK

RESEARCH TOPIC: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATOR’S PROFESSIONAL STATUS
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROSPECTUS ASSIGNMENT – MUST FOLLOW ALL THE FORMAT HERE!
• Introduction
o Introduce the topic and provide a broad overview of the issue or the field of study.
o Provide an explanation of why the study topic was chosen.
o Provide ample background information for the reader to understand the topic.
o Length: Approximately two pages. Include several facts to substantiate the issue and cite all facts provided.
• Statement of the Problem
o Describe the focus of the study and explain the exact nature of the problem in specific terms.
o Length: Approximately one to two pages. Citations should be included for any facts provided.
• Purpose of the Study
o State the exact nature of the study using the following wording: “The purpose of the study is to . . .”
o Specify the problem you will investigate and the possible solutions that may emerge as a result of the study.
o Length: Approximately ½ page. No citations are needed.
• Research Questions
o Research question 1: How does social media platform influence the professional status of technical communicator?
o Research question 2: How does social media platform enhance the professional status of technical communicator?
o Research question 3: How does social media platform negatively affect the identity of technical communicator?
o The focus of each question must be on a single issue or thought.
o Compose each question so it is substantive in scope.
• Significance of the Study
o Provide an explanation of why this study is important? Who will it benefit?
o Specify the value of this study to a particular field of study, a discipline, an institution, or an organization.
o Begin this section with a statement that includes the following words: “The significance of this study is . . .”
o Length: Approximately ½ page. No citations are needed.
• Definition of Terms
o Define all terms the reader may not be familiar with in technical or discipline-specific concepts.
o Define briefly these new terms so the reader has a better understanding of the topic.
o Include citations for any definitions that are taken from other sources.
• Literature Review
o Compose a brief literature review examining the scholarly research conducted in the area(s) of your research questions.
o Cite what has previously been studied on your topic.
o Indicate where there are gaps in the research or where research needs to be conducted.
o “Connect the dots” among the citations and provide some analysis of previous research; it is not sufficient to just “report” what has been done before.
o Tell a story in this section. Do not just review a research study but compile topics from research. The topics may be in categories, such as historical research, theoretical research, or by variables studied in different ways.
o Length: Approximately 8-10 pages. All citations should be from the last 6-8 years, except for classic or seminal works.
• Methodology
o What is your approach to studying the problem you have identified?
o Will your approach involve quantitative methods, qualitative methods, or mixed methods of analysis?
o Identify the method of approach for each research question, because you may take a different approach for each question.
o A hypothesis is written for research questions that will be studied by quantitative methods.
o Identify specific steps you would follow for the collection and analysis of data for each research question or hypothesis for quantitative methods.
o Specify how you would be able to gain permission to conduct your study and how you would be able to have access to your research subjects and site.
o Compose this section as a recipe, in which you identify all the ingredients for the study and you outline all the specific steps.
• Limitations of the Study
o List the factors or variables that restrict the findings to a certain site or population.
• Delimitations of the Study
o List how the results of your study are applicable to other sites or areas of study.
o Discuss how the results of your study may or may not be generalized to a larger population, to other populations, or to other organizations.
• References
o Cite every source that has been cited in the document.
o Include every book, journal article, dissertation, research paper, scholarly paper, or other material that you have cited in your study.
o Pay careful attention to APA formatting rules for the different types of references.