Project Summary: Begin Theory, Approach, Method This assignment relates to the Qualitative Research Plan, which is your Final Project for This course. It is based on the following Walden Dissertation Rubric criteria: Design describes which qualitative tradition or paradigm will be used. The choice of paradigm is justified, with explanations why other likely choices would be less effective" (Chapter 3, item 2) "[I]n qualitative studies the conceptual framework shows which ideas from the literature ground the research being conducted" (Chapter 1, item 6) The assignment is also based on the following Walden Dissertation Prospectus criteria: "[D]escribe theories or prior research related to research problem or area of inquiry" To prepare for the Application this week: Revise or refine your research questions for your Qualitative Research Plan (Final Project) as needed. QUESTION: The assignment: 1. Develop a theoretical or conceptual framework for your Qualitative Research Plan and justify using it. 2. Based on your refined research questions and conceptual framework, which qualitative approach is the best fit to answer the research questions? What is the #2 choice, and why? What is the #3 choice, and why? (Note: Your choice does not need to be one of the five approaches presented by Creswell.) 3. Based on the approach you have selected , how will theory be applied to the study? In other words, how will theory influence the decisions related to methodologydata collection and data analysis? Craft a 5- to 7-page paper in which you do the following: o Select and justify a theoretical or conceptual framework for a qualitative research plan. o Align and justify the alignment of theory, qualitative approach, and methodology for a qualitative study. ______________________________________________________________________ Aligning Theory With Qualitative Methods Introduction In qualitative research, theory guides each step of the process. Last week you read further to determine the approach that you would use to gather and analyze your qualitative data. This week you will continue to read theories in the textbooks and in the literature that you will use to gather research articles. Then, you will be able to explore the theories of qualitative methodologies and see how they are put into practice so that the literature will inform the methods you choose to analyze your data. Learning Outcomes By the end of this week, you will be able to: Compare and contrast the roles of theory for qualitative research Select and justify a theoretical or conceptual framework for a qualitative research plan Align and justify the alignment of theory, qualitative approach, and methodology for a qualitative study ______________________________________________________________ Required Resources Course Text: Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach o Chapter 3, "Conceptual Framework: What Do You Think Is Going On?" This week, you will review your Week 3 reading about concept mapping, experiential knowledge, prior theory and research, pilot and exploratory studies, and thought experiments. Course Text: Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches o Chapter 2, "Philosophical, Paradigm, and Interpretive Frameworks" In this chapter, you will review several philosophical assumptions and interpretive communities. This reading is a review from Week 3. Course Text: Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. o Chapter 3, "Variety in Qualitative Inquiry: Theoretical Orientations," pp. 100-144 In this excerpt from Chapter 3, you will review theoretical theoretical traditions and orientations. This reading is a review from Week 3. Research Toolkit Very Important Handouts. If you cannot download these documents, please let me know so I can get to you through another means. thanks Handouts o Walden Dissertation Rubric Available from http://researchcenter.waldenu.edu/ The Dissertation Rubric is a Word document linked in the section for PhD Dissertation Process and Documents. o Walden Qualitative Dissertations This document directs you to dissertations in the Walden Library that use a variety of qualitative approaches and disciplines.