Dissertation Prospectus on Cloud Computing Adoption Factors

This dissertation prospectus explores the factors influencing cloud computing adoption among IT leaders in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. The introduction highlights the growing importance of cloud computing and identifies a research gap related to understanding the factors that affect its adoption in the specified geographic area. The background of the problem discusses the evolution of cloud computing and the reluctance of organizations to adopt it, citing issues like security and data protection. The theoretical foundations section proposes the use of the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory to provide a comprehensive understanding of the adoption barriers. The literature review explores the history and definition of cloud computing, cloud adoption theories, and clusters of influencing factors. The prospectus includes a detailed examination of the existing literature, problem statement, purpose of the study, and research questions. The study will analyze factors influencing cloud adoption and how IT leaders describe them. The methodology and design sections need to be completed by January 18, and the entire document is due by January 22. The study uses a combined TOE+DOI adoption model.

FEEDBACK:
1. LOTS OF GOOD WORK HERE. Lot more work to do to have an approved
Prospectus by the end of this class.
2. INTRODUCTION: This section needs a lot of work. The Introduction
introduces the topic in plain language and tells us what the study it about. See my
comments below.
3. BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM: Lots of work needed here. Way too
much detail on the frameworks. These belong in your theoretical foundations.
This section should focus on the problem: It is not know how the IT leaders
describe factors that influence the adoption of cloud computing of VA, and DC
and MD. The focus is on cloud computing adopters and factors that influence
their decisions. Go back to your approved 10 Points Background of the Problem
section from last class (Gap statement REC 12-1 RET 12-3) Start with the three
points there. Discuss the findings of each study in a sentence or two and end with
their call for further research (from that 10 Points document. See my comments
below.
4. THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS: I think a lot of the basics are there but it
needs to be rearranged into a coherent argument. See my comments below.
5. LITERATURE THEMES: Look good. Nice work.
6. PROBLEM STATEMENT: Needs to be simplified to more clearly tie back to
the gap justified in the literature. You need to describe your population and your
unit of analysis in the section. See my comments below.
7. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Must include a discussion othe phenomena.
Should not include justification for the methodology. See my comments below.
8. RESEARCH QUESTIONS: Needs a lot of work. Changes previously
requested have not been addressed. R2 is still too broad – needs further revision.
This section must include discussion of the phenomena. See my comments below.
NEXT STEPS:
1. REVISE THIS DOCUMENT as noted above. Through that process edit for
punctuation, capitalization, grammar, word usage, and APA style. Can you have
this completed by JAN 22 (end of Week 2)?
2. THREE MORE 10 STRATEGIC POINTS SECTIONS: Sample and location,
Phenomena, Methodology and Design. Can you have those by Saturday, JAN
18? IF they’re in pretty good shape you might be able to include them in the JAN
22 Prospectus deliverable.

2
Dissertation Prospectus
How IT leaders describe factors that Influence the Adoption of Cloud Computing in
Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland.
Submitted by
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Dissertation Prospectus
Introduction
Cloud Computing has experienced enormous focus my many scholars in recent years.
The term Cloud Computing has been utilized as Internet based technologies for
conducting business and recognized as an important part of the IT innovation field. Cloud
computing has been providing various free services to business operations (Bhatiasevi &
Naglis, 2016). The emergence of the cloud computing has been creating a competitive
environment among different business organizations. Cloud technology has been offering
huge storage for business organizations, unlimited computing power and mobility of
business information over the Internet. There have been various issues including storage
issues and data protection have been faced by business organization in the market. Thus
have been causing a serious issue in the performance of the business organization in the
market (Raut et al., 2017). Therefore, this research has been focused on mitigation of
these issues with the help of Cloud computing. Various factors that have been affecting
the adoption of cloud computing in the business organization.
Hassan et al. (2017) conducted research to look at the components that impact cloud
computing selection by SMEs. The research-based on a quantitative survey-based.
The future works can be focused on the “to gain an in-depth understanding of the
factors that influence cloud computing adoption. Interviews can offer more detailed and
richer explanations for the underlying factors that influence cloud computing adoption”.
p. 38 (Hassan et al., 2017). Further Senarathna et al. (2018) identified the need for future
research to fill up the gap by including the factors that influence the adoption of cloud
computing Based on the works of literature reviews and existing studies, this study is the
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first attempt that advances the knowledge on the factors that influence cloud computing
adoption in organizations, especially in the context of IT leaders of Virginia (VA),
Maryland (MD), and Washington DC and the proposed model which is Technology-
Organization-Environment (TOE) and Diffusion of innovations (DOI) in this study helps
organizations to understand what capabilities they need to develop to be able to adopt
cloud computing.
Criteria Learner
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Introduction
This section briefly overviews the research focus or problem, why this study is worth conducting, and how
this study will be completed.
The recommended length for this section is two to three paragraphs.
1. Dissertation topic is introduced along with why the
study is needed.
1.5 0
2. Provides a summary of results from the prior
empirical research on the topic.
1.5 1
3. Using results, societal needs, recommendations for
further study, or needs identified in three to five
research studies (primarily from the last three years),
the learner identifies the stated need, called a gap.
2 0
4. Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a
logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses
correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and
uses correct APA format.
1.5 1
NOTE: This Introduction section elaborates on the Topic from the 10 Strategic Points. This Introduction
section provides the foundation for the Introduction section in Chapter 1 of the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Background of the Problem
Cloud computing is quickly becoming a standard means of operation across
various industries and nations. The term “cloud” was coined in 1961 by MIT Professor
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John McCarthy and referred to a method of data transport that starts with a network hub,
or cloud, where data is stored (Arpaci, 2017). From that hub, data travels to an endless
number of endpoint locations. The advantages of cloud computing include immediate
access to resources stored on the network hub, the ability to share resources across an
organization or between organizations, access to large storage capacity, and portability of
resources (Oliveira, Thomas, & Espadanal, 2014; Wang, Ammar, & Chuang, 2011;
Dikaiakos, Pallis, Katsaros, Mehra, & Vakali, 2009; Grossman, 2009). Cloud computing
also has proven to increase the speed and effectiveness of computer run jobs and reduces
the risk and cost of application deployment (Amin et al., 2015; Loukis et al., 2017;
Hassan et al., 2017; Al-Sharafi, Abdullah Arshah, & Abu-Shanab, 2017).
Multiple studies have found Ddespite all of these advantages, many organizations
are reluctant to adopt cloud computing. Issues such as security, data protection, and
privacy concerns are leading reasons leaders of organizations, state they have not adopted
cloud computing (Sharma et al., 2016). Other barriers include unreliable servers, issues
with the transaction and data integrity, and problems with access (Stieninger et al.,2014;
Alkawsi, Mahmood, & Baashar, 2015; Dawson, 2015; Priyadarshinee et al., 2017).
Cloud Computing has been providing several layers of computing architecture
including infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and SaaS. These
models have been based on the services provided by the cloud computing (Sabi et al.,
2018). Previous studies have been focused on several factors of adoption of cloud
computing in the organizations.
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The gap. There are studies on the factors that influence cloud computing adoption
in organizations; however, studies explicitly focused on Virginia (VA), Maryland (MD),
and Washington, DC (DC) are lacking.
Criteria Learner Self-
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Background of the Problem
This section uses the literature to provide the reader with a definition and statement of the research gap
and problem the study will address. This section further presents a brief historical perspective of when
the problem started and how it has evolved over time.
The recommended length for this section is two-three paragraphs.
1. Includes a brief discussion demonstrating
how literature has established the gap and a
clear statement informing the reader of the
gap.
1.5 1
2. Discusses how the “need” or “defined gap”
has evolved historically into the current
problem or opportunity to be addressed by
the proposed study (citing seminal and/or
current research).
1.5 1
3. ALIGNMENT: The problem statement for
the dissertation will be developed from and
justified by the “need” or “defined gap” that
is described in this section and supported by
the empirical research literature published
within the past 3-5 years.
2 1
4. Section is written in a way that is well
structured, has a logical flow, uses correct
paragraph structure, uses correct sentence
structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses
correct APA format.
1.5 1
NOTE: This Background of the Problem section uses information from the Literature Review in the 10
Strategic Points. This Background of the Problem section becomes the Background of the Study in
Note, this section develops the foundation for Chapter 1 in the Proposal. It is then expanded to develop
the comprehensive Background to the Problem section and Identification of the GAP sections in
Chapter 2 (Literature Review) in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
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Theoretical Foundations/Conceptual Framework and Review of the
Literature/Themes
Theoretical foundations/conceptual framework. As stated previously, four
main theories are used when studying factors that affect the adoption of cloud computing.
This researcher has chosen to use a combination of TOE and DOI as it will provide the
most considerable depth of information needed to understand the barriers to cloud
computing adoption (El-Gazzar, Hustad & Olsen, 2016). Many IT adoption researchers
used the TOE framework (Depietro et al., 1990; Tornatzky et al., 1990). However,
according to Oliveira and Martin (2011), most empirical studies in technology acceptance
are derived from the combination of the TOE and DOI frameworks. Oliviera and
Martin(2011) further revealed that the TOE framework has more consistent empirical
support, solid theoretical foundation, and applicability in the adoption of technological
innovations. An examination by Alkhalil et al. (2017) incorporated the DOI-TOE system
to distinguish the determinants that identify with the choice to move to the cloud. The
system incorporated the reconciliation of both the DOI and TOE qualities: development,
innovation, association, individual, and condition. The consequence of the examination
likewise illustrated that consolidating multiple theories helps to enhance the
understanding of the adoption of innovative technology (Alkhalil et al., 2017). The
proposed model for this study, TOE, helps organizations to understand what capabilities
they need to develop to be able to adopt cloud computing. This model will also
incorporate DOI as it complements the TOE framework and has proven to provide a more
comprehensive examination of the problem. The DOI and TOE models complement each
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other, as TOE provided consistent, empirical data, and DOI examines more subjective
topics such as innovation (Alkhalil et al., 2017).
It is additionally imperative to perceive that DOI and TOE share a few
likenesses. For instance, the thought of innovation and hierarchical settings are nearly the
equivalent. Conversely, DOI incorporate administration support and imaginative
elements, however, TOE does not think about individual and a portion of the inventive
attributes (Alkhalil et al., 2017) Consequently, consolidating both TOE and DOI would
give complementation for one another and would improve a superior comprehension of
the appropriation of innovation.
Review of the literature/themes.
Theme 1. History and definition of cloud computing. This section will review
how cloud computing started and its increasing influence in organizations in America.
(Wang, Ammar, & Chuang, 2011; Dikaiakos, Pallis, Katsaros, Mehra, & Vakali, 2009;
Grossman, 2009).
Theme 2 Cloud adoption theories. This section will explore the different cloud
adoption theories, examining the effectiveness and drawbacks of each theory. Lai, 2017;
In Salah Hashim et al., 2015; Alkhalil et al., 2017).
Theme 3 Clusters of influencing factors. This section will explore a variety of
factors under the headings of technological, organizational, and environmental that affect
the adoption of cloud computing. Al-Sharafi, Abdullah Arshah, & Abu-Shanab, 2017;
Friedrich-Baasner, Fischer and Winkelmann, 2018)
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Figure 1. The combined TOE+DOI adoption model developed by Alkhater et al. (2014)
Criteria Learner
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Theoretical Foundations and/or Conceptual Framework
This section identifies the theory(s) or model(s) that provide the foundation for the research. This
section should present the theory(s) or models(s) and explain how the problem under investigation
relates to the theory or model. The theory(s) or models(s) guide the research questions and justify what
is being measured (variables) as well as how those variables are related (quantitative) or the
phenomena being investigated (qualitative).
Review of the Literature/Themes
This section provides a broad, balanced overview of the existing literature related to the proposed
research topic. It describes the literature in related topic areas and its relevance to the proposed
research topic findings, providing a short 3-4 sentence description of each theme and identifies its
relevance to the research problem supporting it with at least two citations from the empirical literature
from the
past 3-5 years.
The recommended length for this section is 1 paragraph for Theoretical Foundations and a
bulleted list for Literature Themes section.
1. Theoretical Foundations section identifies
the theory(s), model(s) relevant to the
variables (quantitative study) or phenomenon
(qualitative study). This section should
explain how the study topic or problem
coming out of the “need” or “defined gap” in
the as described in the Background to the
Problem section relates to the theory(s) or
model(s) presented in this section. (One
paragraph)
1.5 1
2. Review of the Literature Themes section:
This section is a bulleted list of the major
themes or topics related to the research topic.
Each theme or topic should have a one-two
sentence summary.
2 2
3. ALIGNMENT: The Theoretical
Foundations models and theories need to be
related to and support the problem statement
or study topic. The sections in the Review of
the Literature are topical areas needed to
understand the various aspects of the
phenomenon (qualitative) or variables/groups
(quantitative) being studied; to select the
design needed to address the Problem
Statement; to select surveys or instruments to
collect information on variables/groups; to
define the population and sample for the
study; to describe components or factors that
comprise the phenomenon; to describe key
topics related to the study topic, etc.
1.5 1
4. Section is written in a way that is well 2 1
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Criteria Learner
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(0-3)
Chair or
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Reviewer
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structured, has a logical flow, uses correct
paragraph structure, uses correct sentence
structure, uses correct punctuation, and uses
correct APA format.
NOTE: The two parts of this section use information about the Literature Review and Theoretical
Foundations/Conceptual Framework from the 10 Strategic Points.
This Theoretical Foundations section is expanded upon to become the Theoretical Foundations
section in Chapter 2 (Literature Review). The Theoretical Foundations and the Literature Review
sections are also used to help create the Advancing Scientific Knowledge/Review of the Literature
section in Chapter 2 (Literature Review).
Reviewer Comments:
Problem Statement
It is not known how the IT leaders describe factors that iInfluence the aAdoption
of cCloud cComputing Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland. The research literature
on cloud adaptation indicates that we know cloud computing offers many benefits
including cost-saving, IT efficiency, and gaining competitive advantage to organizations
(Choudhary & Vithayathils, 2013; Chen et al., 2016). However, there was no research on
the factors relating to Cloud adoption by IT Leaders (Mohammed et al., 2018; Senarathna
et., al. 2018 & Hassan et al., 2017,). There is a lack in scholarly literature that describes
IT leaders relating to the Cloud adaptation, to include how the constructs of the perceived
usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived reliability, perceived benefits and perceived
security affect their decision to adopt cloud computing in VA, and DC and MD.
Notwithstanding, currently, there are studies on the factors that impact cloud computing
adoption in organizations, particularly in the context of VA, and DC and MD, are,
however, lacking. Our study addresses this gap. The Phenomena to understand how the
IT leaders describe factors that Influence the Adoption of Cloud Computing VA, and DC
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and MD. In this research study, the IT Leaders are considered as target population U.S
tri-state area Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV). The target population is
based on their skills and knowledge related to the Cloud. Therefore, CTO, Solutions
Architects, Software Developer, were interviewed. The unit of analysis for this proposed
study is based on individual ex
Criteria Learner
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Problem Statement
This section includes the problem statement, the population affected, and how the study will contribute
to solving the problem.
The recommended length for this section is one paragraph.
1. States the specific problem proposed for
research with a clear declarative statement.
2 2
2. Describes the population of
interest affected by the problem. The general
population refers to all individuals that could
be affected by the study problem.
2 1
3. Describes the unit of analysis.
For qualitative studies this describes how the
phenomenon will be studied. This can be
individuals, group, or organization under
study.
For quantitative studies, the unit of analysis
needs to be defined in terms of the variable
structure (conceptual, operational, and
measurement).
1.5 0
4. Discusses the importance, scope,
or opportunity for the problem and the
importance of addressing the problem.
2 0
5. The problem statement is
developed based on the need or gap defined in
the Background to the Study section.
2 1
6. Section is written in a way that is
well structured, has a logical flow, uses
correct paragraph structure, uses correct
sentence structure, uses correct punctuation,
and uses correct APA format.
2 1
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Criteria Learner
Self-
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(0-3)
Chair or
Score
(0-3)
Reviewer
Score
(0-3)
NOTE: This section elaborates on the Problem Statement from the 10 Strategic Points. This section
becomes the foundation for the Problem Statement section in Chapter 1 and other Chapters where
appropriate in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the qualitative descriptive study is to determine how the IT leaders
describe factors that Influence the Adoption of Cloud Computing of Virginia,
Washington D.C. and Maryland. It was affirmed by the authors (Riaz, Wolden, Gelblum,
& Eric, 2016) Qualitative descriptive design is a broadly uses to understand the issue by
investigating the different perspective of people in a certain circumstance. This method
helps the investigator to address the legitimate finding for whom, what, and where of
events or experiences that enable the detailed investigation of what the researchers
intended to explore. Phenomena
Criteria Learner Self-
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PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This section reflects what the study is about, connecting the problem statement, methodology & research
design, target population, variables/phenomena, and geographic location.
The recommended length for this section is one paragraph.
1. Begins with one sentence
that identifies the research
methodology and design,
target population,
variables (quantitative) or
phenomena (qualitative)
to be studied and
geographic location.
2 1
2. Quantitativ
e Studies: Defines the
variables and relationship
2 0
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Criteria Learner Self-
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of variables.
3. Qualitative
Studies: Describes the
nature of the phenomena
to be explored.
4. Section is
written in a way that is
well structured, has a
logical flow, uses correct
paragraph structure, uses
correct sentence structure,
uses correct punctuation,
and uses correct APA
format.
2 1
NOTE: This section elaborates on information in the Purpose Statement from the 10 Strategic Points.
This section becomes the foundation for the Purpose of the Study section in Chapter 1 and other
Chapters where appropriate in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Research Questions and/or Hypotheses
The following research questions guide this qualitative study:
Phenomena: This study will focus on factor that influence the cloud computing.
how IT Leaders
RQ1: How IT leaders describe in Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland describes
factors that Influence the Adoption of Cloud Computing..
RQ2: What are the perceptions of IT leaders of Virginia, Washington D.C. and
Maryland regarding the available strategies they may use to Adopt Cloud
Computing through the lens of TOE.?
How do these factors mention earlier in IT leaders?
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Criteria Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
RESEARCH QUESTION(S) AND/OR HYPOTHESES
 The recommendation is a minimum of two research questions along with related hypotheses
and variables is required for a quantitative study.
 Also recommended is a minimum of two research questions along with the phenomenon
description is required for a qualitative study.
 Put the Research Questions in the appropriate Table in Appendix B based on whether the study
is qualitative or quantitative.
The recommended length for this section is a list of research questions and associated hypotheses
(quantitative)
1. Qualitative Studies:
States the research
question(s) the study
will answer and
describes the
phenomenon to be
studied.
2. Quantitativ
e Studies: States the
research questions the
study will answer,
identifies and describes
the variables, and states
the hypotheses
(predictive statements)
using the format
appropriate for the
specific design and
statistical analysis.
2 1
3. Alignment:
The research questions
are based on both the
Problem Statement and
Theoretical Foundation
model(s) or theory(s).
There should be no
research questions that
are not clearly aligned
to the Problem
Statement.
2 1
4. Section is
written in a way that is
well structured, has a
logical flow, uses
correct paragraph
structure, uses correct
sentence structure, uses
2 1
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Criteria Learner Self-
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(0-3)
Chair Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
correct punctuation, and
uses correct APA
format.
NOTE: This section elaborates on the information about Research Questions) & Hypothesis/variables
or Phenomena from the 10 Strategic Points. This section becomes the foundation for the Research
Question(s) and/or Hypotheses section in Chapter 1 in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Advancing Scientific Knowledge and Significance of the Study
This section has been related to the advancing scientific knowledge and
significance of the study. The use of the cloud computing models in the business
organization. The need of the literature reviww has been helping in understanding the
adoption factors of the cloud computing (Priyadarshinee, et al., 2017). The problems and
issues found in the previous studies have been discussed in this research. Issues with the
data protection and security has been focused in the research. The main issue that have
been faced is related to the protection of the data and information of organizations. The
storage has been another issue discussed in the research. The gaps in the previous studies
have been related to the implementation of the models for mitigating these issues.
Previous studies have discussed about different issues discussed in the cloud computing.
However, thius section will; focus on these issues faced in the market (Maqueira-Marín,
Bruque-Cámara & Minguela-Rata, 2017).
Criteria Learner Self-
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ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This section reiterates the gap or need in the literature and states how the study will address the gap or
need and how the research will contribute to the literature, practical implications to the community of
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Criteria Learner Self-
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interest, and alignment with the program of study.
The recommended length for this section is one to two paragraphs, providing a brief synopsis of
each criteria listed below which will be expanded in the proposal.
1. Clearly identifies the
“gap” or “need” in
the literature that
was used to define
the problem
statement and
develop the research
questions. (citations
required)
2. Describes how the
study will address
the “gap” or
“identified need”
defined in the
literature and
contribute to
/advance the body of
literature. (citations
required)
3. Describes the
potential practical
applications from the
research. (citations
required)
4. Identifies and
connects the
theory(ies) or
model(s) that
provide the
theoretical
foundations or
conceptual
frameworks for the
study. (citations
required)
5. Section is written in
a way that is well
structured, has a
logical flow, uses
correct paragraph
structure, uses
correct sentence
structure, uses
correct punctuation,
and uses correct
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Criteria Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
APA format.
NOTE: This section builds on information about the Literature review and
Theoretical Foundations sections in the 10 Strategic Points. This section
becomes the foundation for the Theoretical Foundations section in Chapter 2
Reviewer Comments:
Rationale for Methodology
Research Methodology has been classified as science behind the procedure to be
used in the research. The use of the research methodology has been helping in uyn
distending various ways by which rt-the research can be condicted properly. The
rationale of the research methodology has been helping in justifying methodology to be
utilized in the research plan. There have been two classified ways of conducting the
research including qualitative and quantitative method. It has been arguing about the
different methodological choices might be best utilize in this research. This research will
select both the method of methodology including qualitative and quantitative (Hassan et
al., 2017). The use of the quantitative method helps in collecting data from primary
sources and statistical analysis can be done in the factors affecting the adoption of cloud
computing. The use of the qualitative research methodology will help in arranging data
from the secondary sources including online journals, books, and articles based on the
adoption of the cloud computing in Virginia (Al-Hujran et al., 2018).
In order to perform qualitative method, variable of the research need to be
identified and based on this data can be collected from raw sources. Hypotheses need to
be created based on the objectives of the study. In this case, research questions are
[prepared based on the research topic. Therefore, quantitative method need to adopt
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these research questions and answers them. The quantitative analysis has been based on
statistical analysis (Bhatiasevi & Naglis, 2016).
In case of qualitative research method, several online journals and books need to
be referred for data collection. Various previous studies based on the adoption of the
cloud computing need to be referred in the study. Literature review has been based on the
secondary research of online journals and previous studies (Sabi et al., 2018). Various
gaps have been identified form the literature review and based on these gaps, data
analysis will be done on the data and information collected. Qualitative research has been
based on creating themes based on the research objectives (Raut et al., 2017). This help in
satisfying objectives of the research.
Criteria Learner Self-
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RATIONALE FOR METHODOLOGY
The Rationale for Methodology section clearly justifies the methodology the researcher plans to use for
conducting the study. It argues how the methodological choice (quantitative or qualitative) is the best
approach to answer the research questions and address the problem statement. Finally, it contains
citations from textbooks and articles on research methodology and/or articles on related studies to
provide evidence to support the argument for the selected methodology.
The recommended length for this section is one paragraph.
1. Identifies the
specific research
methodology for the
study.
2. Justifies the
methodology to be
used for the study by
discussing why it is
an appropriate
approach for
answering the
research question(s)
and addressing the
problem statement.
3. Quantitative
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Criteria Learner Self-
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Studies: Justify in
terms of problem
statement and the
variables for which
data will be
collected.
4. Qualitative Studies:
Justify in terms of
problem statement
and phenomenon.
5. Uses citations from
seminal
(authoritative)
sources (textbooks
and/or empirical
research literature)
to justify the selected
methodology. Note:
Introductory or
survey research
textbooks (such as
Creswell) are not
considered seminal
sources.
6. Section is written in
a way that is well
structured, has a
logical flow, uses
correct paragraph
structure, uses
correct sentence
structure, uses
correct punctuation,
and uses correct
APA format.
NOTE: This section elaborates on the Methodology and Design in the 10 Strategic Points. This section
becomes the foundation for the Research Methodology in Chapter 1 of the Proposal and the basis for
developing Chapter 3, Research Methodology.
Reviewer Comments:
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20
Nature of the Research Design for the Study
Research design has been related to answering questions included in the research.
Research design has been considered as outline of research. It has been the arranging of
the elements of the research that can be done for successful completion of the study. It
has been helping in proper data collection and data analysis. There are three types of
research design including exploratory, explanatory and descriptive design (Chang, 2020).
Exploratory research has been the first stage of research and focus of this research has
been obtaining new insights in the research. Exploration of more studies in this research
topic will help in gaining more data and information. An exploratory has been concerned
with area of concern in which hypothesis have been formulated. Research used to gather
these hypothesis for evaluating their usefulness in the further research (Njenga et al.,
2019).
Descriptive research can be termed as statistical research which helps in
describing the whole theory of the research. It helps in gathering information from
various community and participants. Descriptive research design has been aiming at
portraying accurately characteristics of particular group and situation. This research has
selected descriptive research design.
Criterion Score Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
NATURE OF THE RESEARCH DESIGN FOR THE STUDY
This section describes the specific research design to answer the research questions and why this
approach was selected. Here, the learner discusses why the selected design is the best design to address
the problem statement and research questions as compared to other designs. This section contains a
description of the research sample being studied, as well as, the process that will be used to collect the
data on the sample.
The recommended length for this section is two to three paragraphs and must address each
criterion.
1. Identifies and describes
the selected design for
the study.
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21
Criterion Score Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
2. Justifies
why the selected design
addresses the problem
statement and research
questions.
3. Quantitativ
e Studies: Justifies the
selected design based on
the appropriateness of
the design to address the
research questions and
data for each variable.
4. Qualitative
Studies: Justifies the
selected design based on
appropriateness of
design to address
research questions and
study the phenomenon.
5. Briefly
describes the target
population and sample
for the study.
6. Identifies
the sources and
instruments that will be
used to collect data
needed to answer the
research questions.
7. Briefly
describes data collection
procedures to collect
data on the sample.
8. Section is
written in a way that is
well structured, has a
logical flow, uses
correct paragraph
structure, uses correct
sentence structure, uses
correct punctuation, and
uses correct APA
format.
NOTE: This section also elaborates on the Design portion of the Methodology and Design section in the
10 Strategic Points. This section provides the foundation for Nature of the Research Design for the
Prospectus Template v.8.2 05.09.19

22
Criterion Score Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
Study in Chapter 1.
Reviewer Comments:
Research Materials, Instrumentation, OR Sources of Data
Data will be collected from primary data sources including online surveys.
Survey questionnaire will be used as instrument for this research. Survey questionnaire
will be created using Google Forms with the help of participants (Nanos, Manthou &
Androutsou, 2019). There will be close ended questions included in the survey
questionnaire. This will help in collecting primary data and information form the
participants related to the adoption of the cloud computing.
Quantitative instruments or research materials. For quantitative studies, make
sure to discuss, in detail, the specific research materials, instrument(s), or source (such as
databases) to collect data for each variable or group. Discuss how the instrument was
developed and constructed, the validity and reliability of the instrument, the number of
items or questions included in the survey, the calculation of the scores, and the scale of
measurement of data obtained from the instrument. Learners must also obtain all
appropriate use permissions from instrument authors. Please note that GCU strongly
recommends against developing or modifying instruments for quantitative studies,
because modifications can change the validation of the instrument. Permission to make
modifications must be obtained from the assistant dean.
For quantitative studies, distinguish between the validated instruments and the
questions added by the researcher. The latter have to be justified as (1) data for one or
Prospectus Template v.8.2 05.09.19

23
more variables of interest in the study (included in the analysis), or (2) data needed for
the sample profile (must be relevant to the topic), or (3) combination of both. Separate
appendices required for each instrument; the validated instruments (or watermarked
samples thereof) have to be accompanied by authors' or vendors' permission to use.
Information required for quantitative validated instruments:
1. Number and labels of scales (and subscales);
2. Number or items per scale (and subscale);
3. Type of scale / data (e.g., Likert scales produce technically ordinal data--ONLY
SOME have a format that allows for APPROXIMATION to continuous data--
required justification of approximation, with references);
4. Method of data aggregation (e.g., for continuous scales: sum vs. mean vs. other
mathematical formula).
Learners doing a quantitative study should refer to the dissertation template for further
details.
Qualitative sources of data. Qualitative data sources are related to the online
journals and books related to the adoption of cloud computing. Various sources of data
will be taken in this research. Sources of data may also include databases, journals,
participant drawings, questionnaires, surveys, photographs, documents, artifacts, and
media. Internet has been main source of secondary that will be used in this research for
identifying the proper aspect in this research (Alassafi et al., 2019). The qualitative data
recourse will deal with the figures, numbers and the data, which is descriptive in nature in
this research. This data is not measurable as the quantitative data and in this research, the
data is obtained by the open-ended survey, observation and the interview questions. The
resources of the qualitative data is not involved with the mathematical and the numbers
calculation but these resources are concerned about the feelings, thoughts, words and
Prospectus Template v.8.2 05.09.19

24
sounds and the other non-quantifiable data (Vumo, Spillner & Köpsell, 2019). The
resources for the data collection are more subjective and the resources of the data will
help in understanding about this research in depth. The utilization of the analysis of the
qualitative of the data and the techniques were veru useful in recording the thoughts and
the opinion of the people in a way, in which the data from the resource will provide the
multiple aspects of this research.
Criterion Score Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
RESEARCH MATERIALS, INSTRUMENTATION, OR SOURCES OF DATA
This section identifies and describes the types of data that will be collected, as well as the specific
research materials, instruments, and sources used to collect those data (tests, surveys, validated
instruments, questionnaires, interview protocols, databases, media, etc.).
The recommended length for this section is one to two paragraphs. Note: this section can be set up
as a bulleted list.
Quantitative-
Instruments/Research
Materials:
Provides a bulleted list of the
instrumentation and/or
materials for data collection.
Describes the survey
instruments or
equipment/materials used
(experimental research), and
specifies the type and level of
data collected with each
instrument.
Includes citations from original
publications by instrument
developers (and subsequent
users as appropriate) or related
studies.
Qualitative - Sources of Data:
Describes the structure of each
data collection instrument and
data sources (tests,
questionnaires, interview
protocols, observations
databases, media, etc.).
Section is written in a way that
Prospectus Template v.8.2 05.09.19

25
Criterion Score Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
is well structured, has a logical
flow, uses correct paragraph
structure, uses correct sentence
structure, uses correct
punctuation, and uses correct
APA format.
NOTE: This section elaborates on the Data Collection from the 10 Strategic Points.
This information is summarized high level in Chapter 1 in the Proposal in the Nature of the Research
Design for the Study section. This section provides the foundation for Research Materials,
Instrumentation (quantitative) or Sources of Data (qualitative) section in Chapter 3.
Reviewer Comments:
Data Collection
In this section, the procedures and methods are well explained about the data are
collected for this research, which are used in this study. the procedures of colleting the
data is assessed for dealing with recognizing the different approaches and strategies to
collect the informative and useful data for this particular research topic (Lee, 2019). The
method of collection of the data and information for this research is performed by
gathering the informative data, which are related to this topic in order to make the study
easy to give proper learning outcomes, which are analyzed using these data. The method
of the data collection is used for lessening the errors and adequate data is gathered from
the participants of this research. The data that is collected are greatly accessible for this
research study (Branco, Bianchi & de Sá-Soares, 2019).
Criteria
Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
DATA COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT
This section details the data collection process and procedures so that another researcher could conduct or
replicate the study. It includes authorizations and detailed steps.
The recommended length for this section is a bullet or numbered list of data collection steps that
should not exceed one page.
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26
Criteria
Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
Quantitative Studies: Lists
steps for the actual data
collection that would allow
replication of the study by
another researcher, including
how each instrument or data
source was used, how and
where data were collected,
and recorded. Includes a
linear sequence of actions or
step-by-step of procedures
used to carry out all the major
steps for data collection.
Includes a workflow and
corresponding timeline,
presenting a logical,
sequential, and transparent
protocol for data collection
that would allow another
researcher to replicate the
study.
Data from different sources
may have to be collected in
parallel (e.g., paper-and-pen
surveys for teachers,
corresponding students, and
their parents AND retrieval of
archival data from the school
district). A flow chart is ok
—"linear" may not apply to
all situations
Qualitative Studies: Provides
detailed description of data
collection process, including
all sources of data and
methods used, such as
interviews, member checking,
observations, surveys, field
tests, and expert panel review.
Note: The collected data must
be sufficient in breadth and
depth to answer the research
question(s) and interpreted
and presented correctly, by
theme, research question,
and/or source of data.
Describes the procedures for
obtaining participant informed
consent and for protecting the
rights and well-being of the
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27
Criteria
Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
study sample participants.
Section is written in a way
that is well structured, has a
logical flow, uses correct
paragraph structure, uses
correct sentence structure,
uses correct punctuation, and
uses correct APA format.
NOTE: This section elaborates on the Sample and Location and Data Collection in the 10 Strategic Points.
This section provides the foundation for the Data Collection Procedures section in Chapter 3 in the
Proposal. And it is summarized high level in Chapter 1 in Nature of the Research Design for the Study in
the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Data Analysis Procedures
This section provides a step-by-step description of the procedures to be used to
conduct the data analysis. The key elements of this section include the process by which
raw data will be prepared for analysis and then subsequently analyzed. Data Analysis
procedure contains two types including quantitative and qualitative data analysis method.
Quantitative data analysis method contains analysis of raw and statistical data collected
from primary data sources. Quantitative data analysis can be done with the help of Likert
Scale analysis ranging from 1 to 5 point. Graphs, Charts and tables are utilized for
analysis statistical data and information (Lee, 2019). Various tools and software
including SPSS can be utilized for analyzing statistical data. Qualitative data analysis
depends on secondary data collection. Thematic analysis is done by creating themes
based on research objectives.
Prospectus Template v.8.2 05.09.19

28
Criteria
Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
DATA ANALYSIS PROCEDURES
This section provides detailed steps for the analytic procedures to be used to conduct data analysis.
The recommended length for this section is one to two paragraphs, can also be presented in bulleted
format.
Describes in detail the
relevant data collected for
each stated research question
and/or each variable within
each hypothesis (if
applicable).
Quantitative Studies: "In
detail" means scales (and
subscales) of specified
instruments AND type of data
for each variable of interest.
IMPORTANT: For (quasi)
experimental studies, provide
detailed description of all
treatment materials per
treatment condition, as part of
the description of the
independent variable
corresponding to the
experimental manipulation.
What: Describes, in detail,
statistical and non-statistical
analysis to be used and
procedures used to conduct
the data analysis.
Quantitative Studies: (1)
describe data file preparation
(descriptive statistics used to
check completeness and
accuracy; for files from
different sources, possibly
aggregating data to obtain a
common unit of analysis in all
files, necessarily merging files
(using the key variable
defining the unit of analysis);
(2) computation of statistics
for the sample profile; (3)
computation of (subscales
and) scales; (4) reliability
analysis for all scales and
subscales; (5) computation of
descriptive statistics for all
variables of interest in the
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29
Criteria
Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
study (except those already
presented in the sample
profile); (6) state and justify
all statistical procedures
("tests") needed to generate
the information to answer all
research questions; and (7)
state assumptions checks for
all those statistical procedures
(including the tests and / or
charts to be computed).
Qualitative Studies: This
section begins by identifying
and discussing the specific
analysis approach or strategy,
followed by a discussion of
coding procedures to be used.
Note: coding procedures may
be different for Thematic
Analysis, Narrative Analysis,
Phenomenological Analysis,
or Grounded Theory Analysis.
Why: Provides the
justification for each of the
(statistical and non-statistical)
data analysis procedures used
in the study.
Show Steps that Support
Evidence
Quantitative Analysis -
states the level of statistical
significance for each test as
appropriate, and describes
tests of assumptions for each
statistical test.
Qualitative Analysis -
evidence of qualitative
analysis approach, such as
coding and theming process,
must be completely described
and included the analysis
/interpretation process. Clear
evidence from how codes
moved to themes must be
presented.
Section is written in a way
that is well structured, has a
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30
Criteria
Learner Self-
Evaluation Score
(0-3)
Chair or Score
(0-3)
Reviewer Score
(0-3)
logical flow, uses correct
paragraph structure, uses
correct sentence structure,
uses correct punctuation, and
uses correct APA format.
NOTE: This section elaborates on the Data Analysis from the 10 Strategic Points. This section
provides the foundation for Data Analysis Procedures section in Chapter 3 in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
Ethical Considerations
The research is followed by the code of conduct in order to maintain the strict
research ethics for performing the work in this research. This respondents are
associated in this research and they are not forced for providing their responses of the
questions of the survey. The questionnaires of the survey are used for only academic
purpose not for any other purposes (Jianwen & Wakil, 2019). No commercial
applications are performed in this research. The collection of the primary data is
collected for maintain the research participant’s anonymity. These data are not
disclose or no access for any third party for collecting the data unethically (Ali,.2019)
Criteria Learner
Self-
Evaluation
Score
(0-3)
Chair or
Score
(0-3)
Reviewer
Score
(0-3)
Ethical Considerations
This section discusses the potential ethical issues surrounding the research, as well as how human
subjects and data will be protected. It identifies how any potential ethical issues will be addressed.
The recommended length for this section is one paragraph.
1. Describes site authorization process, subject
recruiting, and informed consent processes.
2. Describes how the identities of the participants in
the study and data will be protected.
3. Discusses potential ethical concerns that might
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31
Criteria Learner
Self-
Evaluation
Score
(0-3)
Chair or
Score
(0-3)
Reviewer
Score
(0-3)
occur during the data collection process.
4. ALIGNMENT: Ethical considerations are clearly
aligned with, and relate directly to the specific Data
Collection Procedures. This section also identifies
ethical considerations related to the target
population being researched and organization or
location as described in the Purpose Statement
section.
Section is written in a way that is well structured, has a
logical flow, uses correct paragraph structure, uses
correct sentence structure, uses correct punctuation, and
uses correct APA format.
NOTE: This section does not include information from any of the 10 Strategic Points.
This section provides the foundation for Ethical Considerations section in Chapter 3 in the Proposal.
Reviewer Comments:
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Appendix A
The 10 Strategic Points for the Prospectus, Proposal, and Dissertation Introduction
1. Topic—Provides a board research topic area/title
a. How IT leaders describe factors that Influence the Adoption of Cloud
Computing in VA, and DC and MD.
2. Literature review—Lists primary points for four sections in the Literature Review
a. Background of the problem/gap and the need for the study based on
citations from the literature
i. The future works can be focused on the “to gain an in-depth
understanding of the factors that influence cloud computing
adoption. Interviews can offer more detailed and richer
explanations for the underlying factors that influence cloud
computing adoption”. p. 38. (Hassan et al., 2017)
ii. Senarathna et al. (2018) identified the need for future research to
fill up the gap by including the factors that influence the adoption
of cloud computing such as culture, different legal systems, and
cloud providers’ management styles would also be useful
extensions.
iii. For future research, studies in the same realm “cloud computing
adoption” for e-government implementation by applying different
methodologies. project.( Mohammed et al., 2018)
b. Theoretical foundations (models and theories to be a foundation for study)
i. The Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE)
framework (Depietro et al., 1990; Tornatzky et al., 1990) has been
used by many IT adoption researchers according to Oliveira and
Martin (2011), most empirical studies in technology acceptance are
derived from the combination of the TOE and DOI frameworks.
They also mentioned that since TOE contains the environmental
features which are not contained in the DOI theory; it makes it
better and easier to explain innovation adoption at the intra-firm
level. Oliviera and Martin(2011) further revealed that the TOE
framework has more consistent empirical support, solid theoretical
foundation and applicability in the adoption of technological
innovations. The DOI and TOE models tended to complement each
other, which seemed to be a better solution because of the ability to
combine different contexts from other adoption studies while
enjoying consistent empirical support along the way (Alkhalil et
al., 2017).
c. Review of literature topics with the key theme for each one
i. History and Definition of cloud computing: The term cloud has
been utilized verifiably as an allegory for the Internet. This concept
dates back as early as 1961 when Teacher John McCarthy
proposed that computer time-sharing technology might lead to a
future where computing control and indeed specific applications
may be sold through a utility-type trade model. This utilization was
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initially inferred from its common portrayal in network diagrams
as a diagram of a cloud, utilized to speak to the transport of data
across carrier spines (which claimed the cloud) to an endpoint
location on the other side of the cloud. Cloud computing could be a
modern computing show that empowers on-demand get to and
utilization of an expansive collection of organizing assets from the
Web. The assets speak to a shared pool of configurable servers,
capacity space, systems, computer program applications,
administrations, handling and indeed application-development
stages that are accessible to clients on-demand. (Wang, Ammar, &
Chuang, 2011; Dikaiakos, Pallis, Katsaros, Mehra, & Vakali, 2009;
Grossman, 2009).
ii. Cloud Adoption Theories: Increasingly, In Salah Hashim et al.
(2015), a literature review of studies examining the factors
affecting cloud adoption, adoption theories were ranked by
frequency of use across the domain. It was found that TAM and
TOE theories were the most frequently utilized, followed by DOI
and finally UTAUT, the least popular being used.
iii. Clusters of influencing factors
a. Technological
i. Availability
ii. Privacy
iii. Trust
iv. Security
v. Reliability
b. Diffusion of Innovation Theory Relative
i. Compatibility
ii. Complexity
iii. Trialability
iv. Observability
v. Advantages
c. Organizational Factor
i. Top Management Support
ii. Organization Size
iii. Technology Readiness
d. Environment Factor
i. Compliance with regulation
ii. Competitive pressure
iii. Trading Partner Pressure
iv. Physical Location
d. Summary.
i. Based on the prior studies there is further study requires in a
different geographical.
ii. Nonetheless, currently, there are studies on the factors that
influence cloud computing adoption in organizations, especially in
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the context of VA, and DC and MD, are, however, lacking. Our
study addresses this gap.
iii. The proposed model which is Technology-Organization-
Environment (TOE) in this study helps organizations to understand
what capabilities they need to develop to be able to adopt cloud
computing.
iv. As per the previous studies, authors recommendation Qualitative
descriptive study design is ideal for this study.
3. Problem statement—Describes the problem to address through the study based on
defined needs or gaps from the literature.
a. It is not known how the IT leaders describe factors that Influence the
Adoption of Cloud Computing VA, and DC and MD.
4. Sample and location—Identifies sample, needed sample size, and location (study
phenomena with small numbers and variables/groups with large numbers).
a. Location: VA, and DC and MD United States of America.
b. Population: A school district with over 25 schools.
c. Sample: A single middle school that uses the International Baccalaureate
Middle Years Programme and has over 500 students.
5. Research questions—Provides research questions to collect data to address the
a. R1: How IT leaders describe factors that Influence the Adoption of Cloud
Computing of VA, and DC and MD.
b. R2: What are the perceptions of IT leaders of VA, and DC and MD
regarding the available strategies they may use to Adopt Cloud Computing
through the lens of TOE.?
6. Hypothesis/variables or Phenomena—Provides hypotheses with variables for each
research question (quantitative) or describes the phenomena to be better
understood (qualitative).
a. Understanding, how the IT leaders describe factors that Influence the
Adoption of Cloud Computing VA, and DC and MD.
7. Methodology and design—Describes the selected methodology and specific
research design to address problem statement and research questions.
a. The methodology is qualitative.
8. Purpose statement— The purpose of the qualitative descriptive study is to
determine how the IT leaders describe factors that Influence the Adoption of
Cloud Computing of Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland
9. The problem statement It is not known how the IT leaders describe factors that
iInfluence the aAdoption of cCloud cComputing Virginia, Washington D.C. and
Maryland.
10. Data collection—Describes primary instruments and sources of data to answer
research questions.
a. The researcher will get an overview of the International Baccalaureate
Programme through the website provided by the International
Baccalaureate.
b. The investigator will look at the Georgia Department of Education’s
public database to determine if state standardized test scores of this single
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middle school show success in performance and other dimensions of
performance that display on the public database.
c. The investigator will interview the founders of and curriculum developers
of the International Baccalaureate to understand focus of program and how
it develops global literacy and may lead to improved cognitive
development reflected in mathematics and literacy scores on state tests.
d. The investigator will interview the International Baccalaureate Middle
Years Programme school-based principal, programme coordinator, and
foreign language teachers.
e. Media, curriculum (designer and school based), and evaluation reports
about International Baccalaureate Programme will contribute to the study.
f. The researcher will look at factors of the International Baccalaureate
Middle Years Programme (curriculum, reports, interviews with developers
and the school-based principal) that contributes to cognitive development
and global literacy.
11. Data analysis—Describes the specific data analysis approaches to be used to
address research questions.
a. Data will be organized and prepared for analysis.
b. Descriptive statistics will summarize the data.
c. Coding will generate themes used to address the research questions.
The Process for Defining the Ten Strategic Points
The order of the 10 strategic points listed above reflects the order in which the
work is done by the learner. The first five strategic points focus primarily on defining the
focus for the research based on a clearly defined need or gap from the literature as well as
the learner’s passion, purpose and specialty area focus. First, a learner identifies a broad
topic area to research for their dissertation based on a clearly defined need or gap from
the literature—that they are interested in because it is based on their personal passion,
future career purpose, and degree being pursued. Second, the learner completes a review
of the literature to define the need or gap they will address, the theories and models that
will provide a foundation for their research, related topics that are needed to demonstrate
their expertise in their field, and define the key strategic points behind their proposed
research. Third, the learner develops a clear, simple, one- sentence problem statement
that defines the problem, or gap, that will be addressed by the research. Fourth, the
learner identifies some potential population samples they would have access to in order to
collect the data for the study, considering the fact the quantitative study sample sizes
need to be much larger than those for qualitative studies. Fifth, the learner develops a set
of research questions that will define the data needed to address the problem statement.
Based on the above five strategic points the learner now defines the key aspects of
the research methodology through the last five strategic points. Sixth, the learner either
describes the phenomena to be studied (if it is a qualitative study), or develops a set of
hypotheses (matching the research questions) that defines the variables that will be the
focus for the research (if it is a quantitative study). Seventh, the learner determines if the
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study will be qualitative, quantitative based on (a) the best approach for the research, (b)
the size of the sample they can get permission to access, (c) availability of data collection
tools and sources, and (d) time and resources to conduct the study. Additionally, they
select the best design approach considering these same factors. Eighth, the learner
develops a purpose statement by integrating the problem statement, methodology, design,
sample, and location. Ninth, the learner identifies the data they will need to collect to
address the research questions or hypotheses and how they will collect the data (e.g.,
interviews, focus groups, observations, tested and validated instruments or surveys, data
bases, public media, etc.) Tenth, they identify the appropriate data analysis, based on
their design, to be used to answer their research questions and address their problem
statement.
Criteria for Evaluating the Ten Strategic Points: Clear, Simple, Correct and
Aligned
When developing research, it is important to define the 10 strategic points so they
are simple, clear, and correct in order to ensure anyone who reviews them will easily
understand them. It is important to align all of the 10 strategic points to ensure it will be
possible to conduct and complete the research. The problem statement must come out of
the literature. The research questions must collect the data needed to answer the problem
statement. The methodology and design must be appropriate for the problem statement
and research questions. The data collection and data analysis must provide the
information to answer the research questions (qualitative) or test the hypotheses
(quantitative). Developing the 10 Strategic Points as a two to three-page document can
help ensure clarity, simplicity, correctness, and alignment of each of these ten key or
strategic points in the prospectus, proposal, and dissertation. Developing these 10
strategic points on a two to three-page document also provides an easy-to-use use
template to ensure the 10 strategic points are always worded the same throughout the
prospectus, proposal, and dissertation.
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Appendix B
Variables/Groups, Phenomena, and Data Analysis
Instructions: Complete the applicable table to assist with your research design. Use Table
1 for quantitative studies. Use Table 2 for qualitative studies. This table is intended to
define how you will collect and analyze the specific data for each research question
(qualitative) and each variable (quantitative). Add additional rows to your table if needed.
Table 1
Quantitative Studies
Research
Questions:
State the research
Questions
Hypotheses:
State the
hypotheses to
match each
Research question
List of
Variables/Groups
to Collect Data For:
Independent and
Dependent
Variable(s)
Instrument(s)
To collect data for
each variable
Analysis Plan
Data analysis
approach to (1)
describe data and
(2) test the
hypothesis
1.
2.
3.
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Table 2
Qualitative Studies
Research Questions:
State the Research
Questions that will be
used to collect data to
understand the
Phenomenon being
studied
Phenomenon:
Describe the overall
phenomenon being
studied by the research
questions
Sources of Data:
Identify the specific
approach (e.g.,
interview, observation,
artifacts, documents,
database, etc.) to be
used to collect the data
to answer each Research
Question
Analysis Plan:
Describe the specific
approach that will be
used to (1) summarize
the data and (2)
analyze the data.
1.
2.
3.
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