Instructions The goal of this assignment is to set you up for success in designi

Instructions
The goal of this assignment is to set you up for success in designing research inquiries moving forward. Part of a solid research idea and proposal is having a workable research question that is narrow enough that it can be addressed in the space provided (for example a 15-20 page research paper versus a 50-page thesis), and written in a way that is open-ended and free from bias.
Please note: Your grade is not based upon length. Rather, please make sure to have all of the following in this order:
Your specific research question. This should be one to two sentences at most.
Your hypothesis. This should be one to two sentences at most. It should be the summary answer to your research question and contain both your dependent and independent variables.
Identify you dependent and independent variables from the hypothesis. Bullet this response. You should not have sentences. I just want to see that you have identified your variables.
Identify at least two sources that you have gathered so far and used to help you create your research question and hypothesis. Please include your citation in this section.
Write a short introductory paragraph (around five to seven sentences). This paragraph can include such things as the purpose of the research.
Here is some additional information.
Research question: While there are many ways to frame a research question, at the graduate level, your research questions should be 1) open-ended and start with “How,” “Why,” “What,” or “To what extent;” 2) should incorporate the variables you seek to assess and their relationship; and 3) should indicate how you intend to test the nature of that relationship. You want to make sure that your question has an appropriate amount of complexity so that it requires a significant amount of research and analysis. A simple Google search should not be able to answer your research question.
Too broad: How can personal ambition in politics be harmful?
Too narrow: What is Vladimir Putin’s position on ballistic missile defense?
Too vague: What is Vladimir Putin’s “operational code?”
Appropriately Complex and Focused: To what extent has Vladimir Putin been motivated by a drive for power compared to his predecessor Boris Yeltsin, and how has Putin’s personal ambitions shaped Russia’s relations with the United States?
This clearly sets you up to identify the two to three measures you intend to investigate (theses are your independent variables). It also sets you up with clear dependent variables in the form of the metrics you will use to evaluate talent recruitment. PLEASE MAKE YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION BOLD FOR ME.
Add a hypothesis. Hypothesis: A statement for how a change or condition in one or more independent variables cause(s) a change or condition in a dependent variable. In the example above, you are saying that measures 1, 2, and 3 resulted in an increase, for instance, in the number of applicants to FS and GS jobs as well as the average education level and aptitude test scores of those applicants will increase. This is just an example, but note how I identified clear measures of success that can serve as the dependent variables to evaluate the effectiveness of the steps taken to recruit FS and GS employees.
In this next step, you will develop a hypothesis that reflects your educated guess as to the relationship between your selected variables. You may use an “if” “then” statement or you may formulate it as a narrative statement. The hypothesis is the provisional answer to your specific research question. From the example above, you could say: IF an Administration implements measures 1, 2, and 3 in their efforts to recruit talented FS and GS employees to the State Department and DOD, THEN there will be an increase in the number of applicants to FS and GS jobs as well as an increase in the average education level and aptitude test scores of those applicants.
Next, pull out the dependent (DV) and independent variable(s) (IV) that you are interesting it looking at. This needs to be specific and you need to discuss ideas for how you might go about measuring the impact that the IV as on the DV. You need to focus on one or two specific variables (and discuss how they are defined), otherwise, your research will quickly spin out of control as you will not have the capacity to effectively address the relationship between all the variables. The PRS Group offers a good list of variables they use in their research. This list is just an example of variables to show you what a variable might look like and how it might be defined.
Add two sources. Make sure to include your citation style, so I can help you. For a refresher on the conventions of academic writing please refer to the latest Turabian writing guide or APA writing manual. Since multiple writing styles are in use within this course, please note which style you are using within your assignment. This will help me cater my comments to the style you are using. The style you use needs to be the one that is used within your program of study.
You can also consult: Turabian (2013) Chapter 2 and Hypothesis Writing
http://www.experiment-resources.com/how-to-write-a-hypothesis.htm
Give an introductory paragraph about your research topic and why it is of interest and a research “puzzle.” You want to guide your reader from your research area to your research topic, then on to your general research question, and specific research question. If done right, this can become the base for the introduction section for your final research proposal in week eight.
In your introduction you can provide a purpose statement that conveys your intentions about what you hope to produce. See the references in your Lessons for additional insight. Often within the literature, this discussion is usually called out by a phrase like the following: “This paper examines . . .,” “The aim of this paper is to . . .,” or “The purpose of this essay is to . . .”. Remember that a purpose statement makes a promise to the reader about the development of the argument but does not preview the particular conclusions that the writer has drawn. Your purpose statement should demonstrate what you are hoping to find out, and also explain what you want your readers to understand (motivation or argument of the research). Later on, when you go to write a paper, a trick to help keep your paper focused around your purpose or argument is to paste it into the header or footer while you write.
This formula and example set from the Baruch College Writing Center may be helpful:
I am studying…
(Narrowed Topic)
…because I want to find out…
(Research Question)
….so that readers understand…
(Motivation or Argument)
Differences in Boston-based and Philadelphia-based abolitionist rhetoric…
…why Boston-based abolitionists emphasized broad themes of social justice…
…how previous scholars may have overlooked the role of free black Bostonians in shaping anti-slavery ideals.
The origins of the Glass-Steagall Act
…why lawmakers supported its passage…
…that their motives resulted not from careful economic analysis but rather from ideological preconceptions about the role of commercial banks in society.
(From Baruch College Writing Center “Focusing Research Topics Workshop” www.writingcenter.baruch.cuny.edu)
By the time you are done, you should have included all of the components listed above. Please write in complete sentences, using the appropriate tone (third person). Your writing should be consistent with the professional/academic writing style.
Note: This assignment will be something that you draw upon to help you complete your final assignment, which is a research proposal. For that assignment you may use the same research question you developed here or create another one.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Use the filename (no spaces) yourlastnameWeek2.doc for uploading this file to the Assignment.
As you proofread your assignment I encourage you to work with Belcher, Wendy Laura. 2009. “Editing Your Sentences” In Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success. Sage. This resource has a nice step by step process for enhancing your writing.