Assignment 1: Theoretical Foundation for Research Paper (Major Assessment)

As you reach the conclusion of this Assignment, take a minute to appreciate your achievement. Your theoretical foundation for research represents a significant milestone not just in this course, but also in your growth as a doctoral student and a nurse scientist. Whether you retain your focus on your selected phenomenon or adjust your plans as you move forward, you will be able to build on the skills you have honed in this course to develop your program of research in the future.

To prepare

• Ensure that your paper addresses the following:
  
  
  
  • Your phenomenon of interest
  
  
  • Concepts (definitions, attributes, antecedents, and consequences)
  
  
  • Conceptual relationships
  
  
  • Assumptions
  
  
  • How an existing framework or theory could inform your work. (Explain how the framework/theory originated and what modifications you may need to make for it to be useful for your research.)
  
  
  • Research questions or hypotheses
  
  
  • Graphic model and narrative, as necessary, to support the model
  
  
  
  

Note: Please include your graphic model and narrative within the paper you submit.

Final Paper (due week 10 Sunday, November 8th) (called Assignment 1 again) (8-12 pages not including the title page or references - don't worry about page limit - write and write succinctly)

Parts:

• Title page


• Introduction


• Phenomenon of interest


• Concept including definition, some ROL, antecedents, defining attributes, and consequences (you must have at least 2 citations for each defining attribute - if possible include a table starting with antecedents, then attributes, and finally consequences so you can see the flow)
  
  


• Relationships about concepts – antecedents and concept, antecedents and consequences (maybe), concept and consequences; concept and another concept (similar or opposite - hope and hopelessness, quality of life and well-being, etc.), direction of relationships – one direction or two, positive or negative; any other related concepts and their relationship with your concept (pull in text)


• you do NOT Have to include the model case and another case but if you want to you can but make sure you call out all the defining attributes in the model case and if you use a borderline case, talk about which defining attribute is missing - you can make up the case study and focus on your context (POI); you do NOT have to include empirical referents but if you want to, do so
  
  


• Assumptions (remember to keep them general)


• Theory or conceptual framework


• Research questions and/or hypotheses (research questions about concept and antecedents, concept and consequences, concept and other concepts or factors, one big global question) (remember to include the population of study and context)


• Graphic with a brief explanation of the graphic (make sure you have antecedents, defining attributes, and consequences as well as the theory - it is about the CONCEPT)
  
  


• Summary


• References (separate pages)