Overview
In this assignment you will focus on developing a key question to clearly define your research and project purpose. A project proposal is written to provide a road map for your research and inquiry, describing the problems and issues to be examined during the project, and why exploring these questions is important (relevance). Knowing what you want to achieve is a key to how you will meet your aims. Therefore, building on your exploration of worldviews, you will develop an answerable question.
For this assignment, develop a question that can be addressed through qualitative methods which are less focused on measuring or predicting an outcome and more interested in the experiences, understandings, and meanings that people have about the topic of concern. Formulate an empirical research question that can be answered by real experience in the real world. As you develop a clearer image of your research aim, search for literature in an iterative process that addresses, and potentially updates, your question and provides the background for what is known, what knowledge is needed, and what might be unknowable.
When clarifying your purpose, ask yourself: How does addressing this question contribute to climate action practice? Is the topic already well covered? Is there a relevant gap in what we know? Do you foresee a local or future climate initiative or impact where better understanding can positively affect the success of some climate action? Write a persuasive argument supporting the importance and need to address your question, fully referenced in APA style with evidence from peer-reviewed and credible grey literature.
Instructions
Start by spending a few minutes completing this simple exercise on developing research questions. Consider developing a research question to focus your own research proposal for the final assignment. This chapter in Graduate research methods in social work: A project-based approach is a useful resource.
In addition, reflect on this paper by Brownhill et al (2017) Jumping the first hurdle: Framing action research questions using the Ice Cream Cone Model. Use these two resources to develop a question that will guide your research design. When you have a general idea of your research purpose, search and review literature that addresses your topic. In the literature, consider both what aspect of your topic is considered important and suitable for further research and what qualitative approach is taken to choose methodologies. Continue to refine your research purpose or question to make it SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bounded. Use your desk-based research to develop a persuasive factual argument supporting your choice of research purpose or question. You may find that evidence-informed climate adaptation strategies provide a good source for your research question.
Requirements
- The assignment must be submitted as a Word document of 1000 (+/- 50) words, excluding references.
- Your argument must clearly state your research purpose and address three aspects that support its value as a qualitative research question.
- Reference Salmons (2016) and include one source that argues to the contrary to show consideration of multiple points of view. In addition, reference at least 6 other sources which can draw from the assigned readings.
- All external sources must be acknowledged using software in the APA format for in-text citations and references.
- The assignment must be submitted on or before the due date in the activities schedule.
Assessment Criteria
In this assignment, you are expected to:
- Use evidence-informed climate adaptation strategies to inform the design of an action research question that explores feasible climate action plans (Learning outcome 1.2)
- Communicate effectively using coherent, synthesized, well organized, edited, logical, and fully supported work (Learning outcome 2.2)
- Evaluate the rigor and validity of adaptation research and information with a critical lens to deepen knowledge that informs arguments, choices, and practices (Learning outcome 3.2)
Weight: 25%
Submit: to Assignment 3 Dropbox in Moodle
Assessment Rubric
| Course Learning Outcome/Assessment Criteria | Excellent (A+ to A) | Proficient (A- to B+) | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory (B to B-) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citation and APA format | All citations and APA format are correct. | Most citations and APA formatting are correct. | Some citations and APA formatting are correct. | Citations and APA formatting are not correct. |
| Use evidence-informed climate adaptation strategies to inform the design of an action research question that explores feasible climate action plans (Learning outcome 1.2) | A clearly defined key question informs at least 3 aspects of climate action, situated in an explicit worldview. The well-explained proposed research methodology is appropriate and feasible to significantly inform the question. | A specific research question informs at least 3 aspects of climate action and references an explicit worldview. The proposed research methodology is generally appropriate and feasible to inform the question. | A slightly ambiguous research question is linked to at least 2 aspects of climate action, with some reference to a worldview. The proposed research methodology is mostly appropriate and feasible to inform a major part of the question. | A research question not clearly defined or not linked to at least 2 aspects of climate action, with little or no reference to a worldview. The proposed research methodology is inadequate, inappropriate or not feasible to inform a major part of the question. |
| Communicate effectively using coherent, synthesized, well organized, edited, logical, and fully supported work (Learning outcome 2.2) | The written argument is clear, logical and fully supported by evidence with minimal errors in grammar, spelling, mechanics, and punctuation. Paragraphs are well-organized and adhere to proper academic paragraphing structure. | The written argument is mainly clear, logical and fully supported by evidence with minor errors in grammar, spelling, mechanics, and punctuation. Paragraphs are mainly organized and mostly adhere to proper academic paragraphing structure. | The written argument is somewhat unclear and/or ineffective for potential audiences with multiple errors in grammar, spelling, mechanics, and punctuation. Paragraphs somewhat adhere to proper academic paragraphing structure. | Writing is unclear and ineffective for potential audiences with significant and repeated patterns of errors in grammar, spelling, mechanics, and punctuation. Paragraphs do not adhere to proper academic paragraphing structure. |
| Evaluate the rigor and validity of adaptation research and information with a critical lens to deepen knowledge that informs arguments, choices, and practices (Learning outcome 3.2) | The persuasive argument directly supports the project aims and question, logically addressing a significant knowledge gap, and well supported through critical reference to at least 6 credible sources and one counterargument. | The persuasive argument generally supports the project aims and question, logically addressing a clear knowledge gap, explained through references to at least 5 credible sources and one counterargument. | The persuasive argument partly supports the project aims and question, logically addressing a loosely defined knowledge gap, explained through references to at least 5 credible sources. Counterargument is not critically applied | The argument is not persuasive, does not adequately address the proposed question of knowledge gap or is not appropriately supported by credible references. Counterargument is missing or not critically applied. |