The document outlines the requirements for a paper focusing on a marriage and family topic from a psychological and theological perspective, including initial thoughts, research review, and comparative analysis of perspectives. It emphasizes proper APA formatting and the need for empirical sources while discussing the implications and future study avenues related to the topic. Additionally, it provides guidelines for literature review development, including synthesis of existing research and adherence to established psychological standards.

1. Explore the Issue Papers
You will choose a topic from the Complete Marriage and Family
Home Reference Guide to study more closely. In 4–6 pages, you
will compare current knowledge with facts from research and
then examine the chosen topic from both a psychological and a
theological perspective.
1. Briefly provide your initial thoughts on the topic. This
section will not require source material. The purpose is simply
for you to identify what you know about this topic. You may
discuss facts, a biblical perspective, the moral dilemma
involved in the topic, or just your thoughts around the topic.
This section must be 1 page.
2. Look at the research that has been done on the topic. This
section must be well-organized with headings and subheadings
and must include at least 4 empirical sources. This section must
be 2–3 pages. You may consider, but are not confined to, the
following prompts and questions:
· Check some of what you know against what research has to
say. How could this topic affect a marriage or family?
· What are benefits and consequences of approaching this topic
and working through it within the affected family unit?
3. Compare the psychological and theological perspectives of
the topic. The point here is to compare what the research says
about the topic to what the Bible says about the topic. Not all of
the topics from "The Quick-Reference Guide to Marriage and
Family Counseling" are directly mentioned in the Bible.
However, you may use biblical principles and discuss
similarities and discrepancies found between these 2
perspectives. This section must be 1–2 pages.
4. The conclusion of this paper must include a good summary of

2. the information provided in the preceding 3 sections. You must
also provide an idea for future study of the topic. What further
information could be provided in relation to this topic? For
example, what are some variables that play a part of depression
in marriage? Is depression within marriage easier to work
through if the depression is a result of a mood disorder or of
circumstances outside of the marriage?
5. Correct current APA formatting must be implemented
throughout this paper, including avoiding first person and using
properly formatted citations and headings. A title page and
references page must be included; however, an abstract will
NOT be necessary for this assignment. Assignment instructions
and the grading rubric must be carefully reviewed to ensure that
all assignment criteria are met.
Reference
Dobson, J. (2000). Complete marriage and family home
reference guide. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers,
Inc. ISBN: 9780842352673.
OVERVIEW
Synthesize conceptual information pertinent to the research
question; this is information that you extract from the articles
selected for this review. Submit a draft literature review.
Note: Developing a research proposal requires specific steps
that need to be executed in a sequence. The assessments in this
course are presented in sequence and must be completed in
order. You may only turn in one assessment at a
time. Subsequent submissions should include highlighted
changes.
Literature Review

3. A literature review is a classification and evaluation of what
scholars and researchers have written on a topic, organized
according to a guiding concept, application, or practice, such as
the topic that you have selected to develop your Integrative
Project (Research Proposal): Chapters 1–5. Your objective is to
demonstrate your ability to recognize significant and integral
information, to synthesize and evaluate that information, and to
provide a description, summary, and critical evaluation of each
work. The purpose is to offer an overview of significant
literature published on your topic. The process of finding,
reviewing, synthesizing, and writing the literature review
provides greater definition to the theoretical framework and
gives you a strong foundation from which to work when
developing your actual application or intervention.
Your Literature Review (CHAPTER 2) should include a
conceptually organized synthesis of the results of the review
that clearly delineates what is known, what is not known, and
what is controversial regarding your topic or area of practice.
The process will also give you a strong foundation from which
to work when developing your methodology in CHAPTER 3.
It may be helpful to use the following questions as you review
the literature:
· What findings are pertinent to your specific issue?
· Are the concepts key to the research as you prepare the
Literature Review?
Analyze the relationships among the related studies instead of
presenting a series of seemingly unrelated abstracts or
annotations. "The introduction should motivate the study. The
reader should understand why the problem should be researched
and why the study represents a contribution to existing
knowledge" The study should be motivated by its scientific
importance.
By successfully completing this assessment, you will
demonstrate your proficiency in the following course
competencies and assessment criteria:
· Competency 1: Determine the scientific merit of the

4. professional literature. Evaluate sources applicable to the
history of the chosen topic.
. Summarize sources applicable to the theoretical background of
chosen topic.
. Summarize sources applicable to the history of the chosen
topic.
. Summarize sources applicable to the best practices for
engaging in research.
. Summarize sources that add significance and relevance to the
knowledge base of psychology.
· Competency 2: Apply theoretical and research findings from
the discipline of psychology to professional and academic
activities.
. Describe an area of research.
· Competency 4: Embrace, respect, and respond to individual
differences and diversity in the practice of psychology.
. Identify practices and research guidelines that address respect
for individual differences and diversity.
· Competency 5: Communicate psychological concepts
effectively using the professional standards of the discipline.
. Describe the significance of the chosen topic.
· Competency 6: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly,
professional, and consistent with expectations for members of
the psychological profession.
. Adhere to APA style and formatting guidelines; writing is
concise and well organized.
APA Resources
Because this is a psychology course, you must format this
assessment according to APA guidelines, since it is the writing
style of the profession. Use the following resources to guide
your work. Additional resources about APA can be found in
the Research Resources in the left navigation menu of your
courseroom.
· American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication
manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.).
Washington, DC: Author.

5. . Chapter 7, "Reference Examples."
. Chapter 6, "Crediting Sources."Required Resources
The following resources are required to complete the
assessment.
· Qualitative Integrative Project Template [DOCX].
· Quantitative Integrative Project Template [DOCX].
Suggested Resources
The resources provided here are optional. You may use other
resources of your choice to prepare for this assessment;
however, you will need to ensure that they are appropriate,
credible, and valid.
Project Guide
· PSY-FP5201 – Integrative Project for Master's Degree in
Psychology Library Guide.
Drafting a Literature Review
· Literature Review Process.
· Locating Common Themes in a Literature Review.
· Purdue Online Writing Lab. (n.d.). Literature reviews.
Retrieved from
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/teacher_and_tutor_resources/teachin
g_resources/writing_workshops_for_graduate_students/graduate
_writing_workshops_literature_reviews.html
· Center for Research Quality. (2015). Literature reviews:
Common errors made when conducting a literature
review [Video]. | Transcript. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiDHOr3NHRA
Writing Resources
The resources listed below are relevant to the topics and
assessments in this course and are not required unless noted
otherwise.
· Bui, Y. N. (2014). How to write a master's thesis (2nd ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishing.
· Galvan, J. L., & Galvan, M. C.
(2017). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the
social and behavioral sciences (7th ed.). New York, NY:
Routledge.

6. . Chapter 4, "General Guidelines for Analyzing Literature."
. Chapter 8, "Synthesizing Literature Prior to Writing a
Review."
. Chapter 9, "Guidelines for Writing a First Draft."
. Chapter 10, "Guidelines for Writing a Coherent Essay."
· Use the free Smarthinking tutoring service to receive feedback
on your writing.
Assessment InstructionsPreparation
For this assessment, you will submit the current draft of your
literature review for feedback and grading.
Do not organize the paper by referencing each article in order
one by one. Your task is to synthesize conceptual information
pertinent to the research question; this is the information that
you extract from the articles selected and thematically review
and summarize.
Plan to identify articles and research that:
· Describe an area of research.
. Describe the area of research chosen and justify the choice.
· Summarize sources applicable to the theoretical background of
the chosen topic.
. Provide information about theoretical underpinnings such as
empirical or behavioral or constructivist and humanistic
orientations of the literature reviewed.
· Summarize sources applicable to the history of the chosen
topic.
. Shed light on the historical context and dominant themes in
the evolution of the topic; connect common themes and discuss
counter opinions.
· Summarize sources applicable to best practices for engaging in
research.
. Describe data collection strategies, research procedures, and
approaches for conducting and reporting research.
· Summarize sources that add significance and relevance to the

7. knowledge base of psychology.
. Indicate how the chosen sources help investigators identify
topics that are well understood and other topics that represent
gaps in the knowledge base and the need for further study.
. Create a scenario that illustrates the need for new research.
· Identify practices and research guidelines that address respect
for individual differences and diversity.
. Address individual variation and diversity within and across
groups.
· Organize and summarize sources thematically.
Your task is to present current considerations important to
investigators and to indicate ramifications for stakeholders that
rely on the current knowledge base. Use illustrative examples to
explain and highlight key concepts. Good reviewers share with
their audience evidence-based assessments of the current state
of knowledge.
This assessment is one component of the integrative project. It
is expected that you will continue to refine this literature review
before submitting the final project.
Walkthrough: You may view the following walkthrough
video to help you complete the Draft Chapter 2 Literature
Review assessment:
· Draft Chapter 2 Literature Review Walkthrough.Instructions
Use the appropriate template (qualitative or quantitative) to
complete this assessment. You are required to use the entire
template each time you submit your assessment, but only the
sections identified in the assessment instructions will be graded
for that submission. Anticipate multiple revisions of each
chapter.
Please note: It is important to keep in mind that paragraphs are
not comprised of two sentences and paragraphs should be
indented. Additionally, refrain from quoting unless
paraphrasing disrupts the integrity of the original quote. If
direct quotation is used, it should be in the proper APA
format.Additional Requirements
· Font and spacing: Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-

8. spaced pages.
· Style and format: Follow the current APA guidelines for style
and format.
Running head: ABBREVIATED TITLE OF YOUR PAPER 1
ABBREVIATED TITLE OF YOUR PAPER 2Full Title of
Your PaperNameCapella UniversityAbstract
Leave this blank until Chapter 4.
It is necessary to complete the abstract after the entire project
has been developed. The abstract contains an abbreviated
overview of the entire project. This overview will reference the
following elements of the project:
The Research Question_________________________________
The Research Problem:
_____________________________________
The Significance of the Study:
_______________________________
Theory or theories that apply to the concepts associated with the
RQ: ________________
A Narrative describing the qualitative approach planned,
implications for stakeholders, significance to the scientific
community, and a description of expected results. The abstract
is one concise paragraph.
Keywords: [Add keywords here.]
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION 1
Background of the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 1
Purpose of the Study 1

9. Significance of the Study 1
Research Question 1
Definition of Terms 1
Research Design 1
Summary 1
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 1
Theoretical Orientation for the Study 1
Review of the Literature 1
Synthesis of the Research Findings 1
Critique of Previous Research Methods 1
Summary 1
CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY 1
Purpose of the Study 1
Research Question 1
Target Population 1
Recruitment Strategy 1
Sampling Design (purposive for qualitative) 1
Procedure 1
Analysis 1
Ethical Considerations 1
CHAPTER 4. EXPECTED FINDINGS/RESULTS 1
CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSION 1
Implications 1
Methodological Strengths and Weaknesses 1
Suggestions for Future Research 1
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION
The debate on whether reading moral stories build characters
has been an incessant one. This is the question that will be
answered in this paper. The purpose of this paper is the study
the above-mentioned claims. This paper involves the use of
qualitative research methods. Multiple forms of data will be
gathered (Narvaez, 2001). There exists a long-standing
assumption that children raise their moral literacy level through
the consuming content that are moral in nature is highly
questionable in light of what is currently known concerning all

10. the relevant fields, moral comprehension plus text
comprehension. The assumption pushed concerning traditional
character educators that children curate their moral literacy
from hearing and reading moral stories is challenged by several
research findings. Firstly, research regarding text
comprehension shows that readers do not necessarily process
texts the same way because of differences in reading skill as
well as background knowledge. Moreover, moral comprehension
research shows that moral arguments are processed in a
different manner due to differences in moral schema
development. Additionally, moral texts that are provided with
moral reasoning are understood and modified in a different
manner by readers who possess varying moral schemas. Lastly,
children do not derive the same moral story themes that were
intended by the writer. However, before delving into the
relevant research one must first examining what the traditional
character educators said about this topic. This is covered below
(Nash, 1997).
Background of the Study
What do we know so far about the area of the literature that you
reviewed?
Character education as an independent area of research
emanated from early studies carried out in the 1960s. It was
spurred by repeated incidences of bullying and violence in
schools (Bellous, 2009). The proposal into the study of
character education led to the in-depth analysis of how
character can be developed through different means. The late
1980s showed a development of the programs that were initiated
to ensure character development. In the 21st century, states as
well as district schools have implemented character building
curriculums in their studies.
The world has experienced a degradation of character over the
past years (Bohlin, 2005). The extents of the degradation in
youths have led to demands of three fundamental aspects in
relation to character development. Firstly, human beings need
good character, secondly, schools are the appropriate

11. surroundings where character education can take place and
lastly, construction of ethics in the society is dependent on the
actualization of character education.
For some morality ministers, interest in character education is
pushed by a general perception that cultural values are
decreasing in society and youth disorders are on the rise. Robert
Nash even branded traditional character education advocates as
declinists. According to his view, America is on its way to a
catastrophe of grand proportions if nothing is done to modify
the erosion of the country’s fundamental values. According to
supporters of traditional character education, the consumption
of virtue stories is one of the crucial pillars of moral education.
These advocates contend that visibility and exposure to virtue
stories possesses a formative impact on one’s moral character.
Nash (1997) elaborates how declinists point out the importance
of inspiring books and virtuous stories due t the fact that these
texts contain the aspirations and motivations of moral heroes
who are plagued with a wide array of moral conflicts. When
children read these texts, they begin to learn and understand
traditional moral values. This in turn leads them to latch onto
these heroes and start to emulate them (Narvaez, 2001).
What do you think we need to know to advance the knowledge
base?
Modern research has basically disconfirmed the theory of the
passive reader. Readers have actually been discovered to be
active learners. They tend to use their prior knowledge to allow
for the strategic construction of meaning from a text. Simply
put, whenever a child reads and recalls text, he/she will try to
devise a coherent understanding of the text through the
integration of text information with prior knowledge about the
environment/world (Gill, 2009). Reading theorists have
contended that schemas which are basically generalized
knowledge structures that are relevant to the discourse lead the
construction of the mental form of the text when one is reading.
A good example of this is when someone reads the following
text, “Owen looked both ways before he crossed the road”. In

12. order for one to understand this text, the reader has to first infer
several things from the common knowledge about the real
world. These inferences begin with the fact that cars are driven
on roads; Owen is crossing a road that has traffic on both sides;
there is a high likelihood that Owen is walking; cars can be
hazardous to pedestrians; Owen is crossing the road in order to
get to the other side, among other types of inferences. If one did
not possess such knowledge of the world then it would be hard
to understand them passage and it would be even more difficult
to imagine what was taking place. The set of inferences that are
taken from world knowledge can be linked in the reader’s mind
through a schema or an overall knowledge structure that
represents “crossing a road.” The schema is activated by a
stimulus configuration that is similar to previous stimuli or
one’s own personal experiences (Bebeau, Rest, & Narvaez,
1999).
How will this new knowledge serve the stakeholders (scientists,
care providers, families, patients, institutions) that may in turn
be served by implementation of new developments?
Stakeholders should take into account all the points that have
been made with the new research and relinquish their simplistic
understanding concerning the reading of moral stories to build
character. In addition to this, they should also reconsider their
view concerning character itself as a collection of traits to be
nurtured and developed. Such a way of viewing things does not
match with the current conceptualizations that personality has
or the new approaches to character education. The stakeholders
have to attend to the following points:
· Themes can be made up by the reader but not in an easy or
automatic manner.
· Active reading is a given.
· Reader acquire different types of information from a text
based on their specific background e.g. expertise.
· Readers do not technically understand the information or
message in the way the author intended it to be perceived.
· Moral messages are a specific kind of theme that the reader

13. put together. They are influenced by one’s reading skills as well
as their moral development.
Statement of the Problem
Identify the gap in research or the need for additional research
in your area.
The research done on the character development as a result of
reading has been an extensive one. The relationships of
handling the problems related to issues of character have been
fundamentally expounded in the research. Current existing
research has affirmed the premise that reading moral stories
does develop characters. However, there still remains a gap in
the explanation of how specific character traits can be
developed from reading (Almerico, 2014). Much is unknown
concerning how students derive specific themes, such as
honesty and integrity from reading moral stories. Additionally,
how the implement them in their daily live and whether they
succeed or fail is significantly a major hiatus in the research.
Researchers have to examine the specific elements that are
required for the extraction of the moral theme and the manner in
which student use can be facilitated. If armed with such
knowledge then they will be able to study whether or not moral
theme extraction is a matter that can be taught (Lickona, 2004).
Purpose of the Study
The late 1980s saw two researchers Kohlberg and Erikson
delving into the study of the adolescent mind as well as the
need of such a mind to function in the society (Bohlin, 2005).
The character development programs that were later developed
were inspired by the results of these studies which did not focus
on specificity (Bellous, 2009). The result of this was that the
programs were intended to address general character
development and therefore, could not be used in aligning with
the specific character development.
Reading is one of the ways through which individuals gain
knowledge. While it has been established that reading of moral
stories can help in the development of character, the detachment

14. of the specific character trait as a theme from the moral stories
is a problem (Almerico, 2014). This problem deserves new
research since researchers and traditional characters educators
do not know how to make sure that children end up with the
proper moral message of the stories they read. An inconsistency
pushed by traditional educators on this matter needs to be
resolved (Seefeldt, 2013). These individuals are able to
advocate for teaching character and even emphasize its crucial
characteristics but they are quiet on how it can be properly
taught (Froh & Bono, 2014). There is an assumption that if
readers are exposed to morality by way of an inspiring book
then they will latch onto the concept off contact alone.
While further research has evidenced the fact that reading moral
stories develops moral character, there is little research which
addresses the issue of moral comprehension, text comprehension
and knowledge of relevant fields. The research existing with
regard to the comprehension of texts proves that not everyone
will understand a text in a similar manner. The differences arise
because of the skill of interpretation as well as the background
knowledge. For example, not every child will retain knowledge
and make connecting inferences from the story they have read.
Additionally, moral comprehension argues that the development
of morals is understood with much reference to the development
of moral representations. Therefore, what one person may
construe to be morally upright, another person will construe it
to be wrong. The research to answer the question of effect of
reading on the established moral schemas is not sufficient.
Declinists of the theory have also pushed forward the
assumptions which are used by the proponents of the theory and
which are not substantially proven by the research. Some of
these assumptions include the fact that reading tends to be
passive, that every reader will get similar information from the
text, that every information intended to be received by the
author will be gotten by each individual, as well as themes
present in the text are easily accessible to the reader. Research
asserting these assumptions are still inexistent or insufficient in

15. augmenting the premise of the proponents of the theory that
reading moral character builds morals.
Significance of the Study
This study will be instrumental in the development of different
types of moral development stages. It is prudent to note that
research has proven that while reading is one way of teaching
character development, it is not efficient as it limited by the
retention capabilities of the students (Almerico, 2014).
Understanding theme extraction does not encompass only how
themes are lifted from moral stories but also entails how they
aligned with the life of the individual. This will significantly
influence the relevant stakeholders to come up with stages that
aim to ensure that the students achieve character development
gradually.
The results of this study promise to advance the scientific
knowledge base demystifying theme extraction. This is matter
of particular difficulty for children and strategies that will help
children learn to generalize from a story need to be examined.
Researchers are still unaware of what happens at the most
fundamental levels. The elements that are used by a reader to
generalize a lesson are still not fully known (Bebeau, Rest, &
Narvaez, 1999).
This study will also be instrumental in establishing the role of
moral sensitivity and reasoning. Addressing these major themes
will be answering the question of what can be done as well as
the question of what if with regard to the question. Another area
where this study will be significant will be moral motivation
since this study shall focus on the personal identity of subjects
and how such identities affect moral extraction. The main
question with regard to this theme will be the personal
conviction that led to the choice of the specific choice or action.
Deductively, this study will be significant in establishing in-
depth research in moral extraction, moral sensitivity and
reasoning as well as moral motivation and their relationship to
the research question.
Research Question

16. The research question, “Does the reading of moral stories build
character?” is a qualitative question. Research has shown that
children do not necessarily comprehend the theme of a story as
it was intended by the author. Although a large number of
children can generate and even select a theme after being
prompted; the choice is often wrong according to the author
perspective or an adult’s. This begs the questions, “What sort of
themes do children come up with/generate?”.
Definition of Terms
Readers are not passive adaptors or assimilators of textual data.
Rather, they are actively constructing meaning through the
application of their prior knowledge to the context of the text.
As a result of constructive and active, reader do not leave with
the same mental representation when they have read a text.
There exists no good reason to suppose that children will take
away the intended meaning from reading a story. Instead, it is
highly likely that children will devise the meaning of story
based on prior knowledge. This leads one to question whether or
not moral development research has any contributions to this
matter (Narvaez, 2001).
Reader- A person who reads or who is fond of reading (Lewis,
2005);
Passive Adaptors- A person who while reading, does not take
keen notice of the writings and the deep meaning associated
with the same ( Helterbran, 2009).
Assimilators- A person, and especially a child, who takes up
knowledge ( Helterbran, 2009).
Constructive Reading- This is reading while being cognizant of
the intended meaning of the author (Lewis, 2005).
Morals- the intentions and decisions of a person that influences
the actions of the person and which is derived from a sense that
may be either good or bad ( Helterbran, 2009).
Moral Development- This is the growth in the moral principles
as held by an individual ( Helterbran, 2009).
Research Design
The research will be a qualitative research. Findings will

17. be collected through a variety of ways or methods. Subjects of
the study shall be selected from a select group of individuals
with the ability to read. Content analysis will be used for
analysis purposes to look at how the words and images are used.
Additionally, the context in which these things are used to draw
inferences concerning the underlying culture. In-depth
interviews and focus groups will also be used too. All these
methods will be used in accordance with the APA code of
ethics. Notably, confidentiality is paramount and so is informed
consent. The researcher will choose the qualitative research
because it will be more elaborative of the probability of
character building as a result of reading moral stories.
Additionally, data from the research will be instrumental when
referring to previous data on the same.
The researcher while using the qualitative research will utilize
the grounded theory research design. This design is chosen so as
to divert away from the conventional research existing on the
development of character from reading and ensure a clear
understanding of the process to be able to come up with a better
explanation to the same. As it has already been established,
many researchers have affirmed the fact that readers do develop
character from reading stories. This theory shall, therefore, use
the existing knowledge on moral development to understand the
concept behind moral development while trying to find logical
explanations of the assumptions used by the proponents of the
theory.
Summary
The purpose of this paper is to study the claims made by
traditional educators concerning this matter. The assumption
that children grow their moral literacy through the reading of
moral stories is highly questionable in light of what is already
known concerning all of the relevant fields plus text and moral
comprehension.
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Note, this is typically the entry point for beginning the project.

18. It is important to understand that the project is iterative. You
will work on, change and refine all elements of the project. You
will begin by understanding and synthesizing what is known so
far in the Literature Review, (Chapter 2). Theoretical
Orientation for the Study
The Literature Review provides detailed information about
theory that applies to the research topic, theory that applies to
the research method, population(s) studied and key concepts
under review. Seminal and current sources are analyzed and
evaluated thematically. The research problem is identified.
Review of the Literature
It is essential that the literature review be organized with
reference to themes identified in articles that you have read. It
is not acceptable to organize the literature review article by
article or one article at a time. You need to include 5 or more
current research articles for your literature review and review
the research design, the research question, the research
hypothesis, the sample demographics, the methodology and
what instruments were given and how, the data collection and
process, the data analysis procedures and the findings, the best
practices and guidelines related to diversity and ethical issues.
This is not an annotated bibliography. Synthesis of the Research
Findings
Synthesize the research reviewed in the review of the literature
section. Critique of Previous Research Methods
Critique the research reviewed in the review of the literature
section.
Summary
Add a brief summary
CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY
Purpose of the Study
The introductory paragraph addresses the research problem or
proposes to fill the gap in the literature. It includes the purpose

19. of the proposed research and presents formally the Research
Question. The purpose is to answer the research question.
State your Research Question in the form of a question in the
introductory paragraph for Chapter 3. As you prepare this
section of this chapter review the characteristics of Qualitative
Research Questions:
1. Qualitative Research questions ask for description and
interpretation of phenomena through the identification of
socially constructed themes and categories.
2. Qualitative questions address concepts associated with
thoughts, feelings, and actions that are not necessarily
accessible with empirical methods of measurement.
3. Qualitative data take the form of stories, narratives and
observations.
4. Qualitative questions identify the target population and
phenomena under consideration.
5. Qualitative questions do not test empirically measured data.
Research Question
Conclude the introductory paragraph to Chapter 3, by writing
out the Research Question. Add your constructs.
Target Population
As you describe the target population you will include:
Information about the number of participants.
Information about inclusion and exclusion criteria; describe
how you decide who can participate in the study and who
cannot.
Recruitment strategy
Sampling design (purposive for qualitative)
Procedure
As you describe the procedures you will include:
Information about materials used for data collection.
Information about the location where data collection takes place
Information about the time required for data collection
Information about the instruments used to collect data.
Instruments used vary widely and can include audio and video
recording equipment, pen and paper, interventions, observation

20. journals, member-checking documents and so on, depending on
the requirements indicated in the research question.
Information about the order of steps taken to obtain data.
Information about how data will be recorded and transferred
into a transcript or documents, audio or video, ready for
analysis.
When using an interview guide or observation check sheet that
is also included.
Analysis
Analysis describes strategies for analyzing the narratives
offered by participants. Once the data has been transcribed into
a format for interpretation, typically “words on the page”, and
then it can be interpreted. Analysis uses strategies that interpret
meaning components from words, phrases and narratives into
interpreted conceptual descriptions across transcripts.Ethical
Considerations
The APA Code of Ethics that apply to your study and research
design should be addressed, including both APA standard and
principles.
CHAPTER 4. EXPECTED FINDINGS/RESULTS
For the expected findings/results, use the literature reviewed in
Chapter 2 To anticipate findings that are likely to result from
the collection and interpretation of data. Note: that some results
that are not expected are possible and should be addressed in
this chapter.
CHAPTER 5. DISCUSSION
Implications
Implications of the potential results are discussed, implications
for wide range of potential stakeholders is addressed,
significance to the scientific community and the potential to
address the research problem is discussed, limitations of the

21. study are addressed, and suggestions for future research are
offered.
Methodological Strengths and Weaknesses
Suggestions for Future Research
The suggestions for future research should close the gap on the
methodological limitations.
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