sacred heart college thesis

Since we have another reunion coming up, I thought I better update this page.  Chuck retired in January 2007 and we have been traveling since then.  Spent several months initially driving around the U.S. and having a great time reconnecting. 

Our son, Ty, finished his 6 year term in the Air Force and moved to Moscow to go back to school at the Univ. Soooo, he is living in our Moscow house with his wife and two very small children (ages 3 and 1. Needless to say, we now divide our time between there and our ski house (work in progress) at Schweitzer. It's quieter!! Our oldest son, frank and his wife are still in Spokane and our daughter still at Ft. Lewis with her husband and two sons. Our youngest son, Ravi, will be enlisting in the military very soon.

Aside from the reunion this summer, we hope to see Ravi graduate from boot camp, host a Pitkin family reunion at the ski house and take my brother, Gannett, on a two week trip to southern Germany. It will be a year to look forward too. I'd include a more recent photo but haven't got one that looks any better. :)

Thanks to Bill Sever for his enduring efforts to keep us all together, and to the Reunion Committee for their help in organizing us.  We look forward to seeing you all in June.

I am living in Moscow, Idaho - married to Charles Hatch who is currently vice-president of research at the University.  We have four children, including a son who is stationed in Germany with the Air Force and a daughter who is married to a sgt. in the Army and also stationed in Germany.  I see a trip to Europe in my future this year!

I worked for the University until Chuck and I were married in l983.  We lived in India and Pakistan for 9 years, returning to the states for the last time in l994 - where, I might add, I intend to stay. :)  I am a homemaker and enjoying the newfound freedom of kids who are on their own or in College.  Life has been an adventure but, now that the kids are more independent, we hope for retirement in a couple years and a chance to travel for fun.

I look forward to seeing you all again this summer.

University of Idaho murders 1 year later: Where the case stands

Four students were killed in an off-campus house on Nov. 13, 2022.

Monday marks one year since four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in a gruesome home invasion that garnered intrigue from people across the nation.

In the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022, roommates Kaylee Goncalves , Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, and Kernodle's boyfriend Ethan Chapin , were killed inside the girls' off-campus house in Moscow, Idaho. Two other roommates survived.

MORE: Idaho college murders: The complete timeline of events

After an intensive six-week search for a suspect, 28-year-old Bryan Kohberger, a criminology Ph.D. student at nearby Washington State University, was arrested on Dec. 30 at his family's Pennsylvania home.

Here's what you need to know as the case against Kohberger moves forward :

The shocking crime

One of the surviving roommates said she woke up around 4 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022, from what sounded like Goncalves playing with her dog in one of the third-floor bedrooms, according to court documents.

"A short time" after, the roommate said "she heard who she thought was Goncalves say something to the effect of 'there's someone here,'" the documents said. But that could have been Kernodle on her phone because records showed she was on TikTok at about 4:12 a.m., the affidavit said.

MORE: Lawyer for Idaho college killings suspect Bryan Kohberger says he was driving alone night of murders

The roommate said "she looked out of her bedroom but did not see anything when she heard the comment about someone being in the house," the documents said. "She opened her door a second time when she heard what she thought was crying coming from Kernodle's room."

The roommate "then said she heard a male voice say something to the effect of 'it's ok, I'm going to help you,'" according to the documents.

The roommate said she opened her door again after she heard the crying -- and then saw a "figure clad in black clothing and a mask that covered the person's mouth and nose walking towards her," who she described as "5'10" or taller, male, not very muscular, but athletically built with bushy eyebrows," and who "walked past" her "towards the back sliding glass door" as the roommate stood in "frozen shock," according to a police affidavit.

Who were the victims?

Kaylee Goncalves, 21, and Madison Mogen, 21, were lifelong best friends and inseparable. Goncalves was set to graduate in December 2022 and move to Texas.

Goncalves' sister, Alivea Goncalves, considered Mogen a sister, too. She said she was comforted by the fact that the best friends were in the same bed together in their final moments.

"If I couldn't have been there to hold their hands and to take that pain from them, at least they had each other," she told ABC News.

The two other victims were 20-year-old Xana Kernodle, and her boyfriend, 20-year-old Ethan Chapin.

Chapin was a triplet. His brother and sister also attend the University of Idaho.

Chapin and Kernodle were the "perfect pair" who had an "unstoppable, loving relationship," a surviving roommate said in a statement in December.

"They both would look at each other with so much love," she said.

Pieces of evidence

After the victims were discovered, authorities reviewed surveillance video from the area and saw the suspect's white Hyundai Elantra go by the victims' house three times, before entering the area for a fourth time at 4:04 a.m, according to the affidavit.

Police said they traced the car's travel that night back to nearby Pullman, Washington, where the suspect lived while attending Washington State.

Kohberger's phone was tracked heading to Moscow before the attack and as the driver of the white Elantra returned to Pullman. However, the phone was off from 2:47 a.m. to 4:48 a.m., which "is consistent with Kohberger attempting to conceal his location during the quadruple homicide," the document said.

MORE: Idaho authorities probe Amazon 'click activity' for knives possibly connected to college killings

His phone was near the victims' house at least 12 times before the murders, at least as far back as August, the document said.

DNA from the suspect was also recovered on a knife sheath left on Mogen's bed, according to the documents.

Where does the case stand?

Kohberger is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

The former Ph.D. student declined to offer a plea at his arraignment in May, so the judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

MORE: Trial for Idaho college killings suspect Bryan Kohberger delayed indefinitely

Kohberger's lawyers have said their client wasn't in the home where the homicides occurred and was driving around alone that night.

In August, Kohberger waived his right to a speedy trial, indefinitely delaying what was supposed to be an Oct. 2 start date.

A new trial date has not been set.

What possible hurdles are ahead during trial?

The DNA discovered on the button snap of the knife sheath that was found near Mogen's body is a critical linchpin for the prosecution in what is a largely circumstantial case.

That DNA, authorities argued, undeniably links Kohberger to the crime scene, saying that DNA "showed a statistical match" with a cheek swab taken directly from Kohberger after his arrest.

Kohberger's attorneys have attempted to cast doubt on the strength of investigators' evidence and whether it pointed irrefutably to just their client, including the DNA. The defense has repeatedly asked for more information on the genealogical analyses used to zero in on Kohberger, and have pushed back on investigators' analysis that the DNA is a statistical match.

Kohberger's attorneys also highlight what they called a "total lack of DNA evidence" from the victims in Kohberger's home or car.

"There are so many layers that make this an extraordinary case -- and the defense is going to attack any aspect of it that they see as vulnerable," David Calviello, a former New Jersey prosecutor who is now a criminal defense attorney, told ABC News in August. "It makes sense for them to take shots at how certain evidence was presented to the grand jury -- whether there were missed steps, cut corners, chain of custody problems, contamination -- or not. "

The knife used in the murders has not been recovered.

A series of now-unsealed search warrant documents show investigators have sought records of Amazon purchases and click history data for an Amazon customer including "all detailed customer click activity pertaining to knives and accessories," as well as a long list of information that could flesh out the customer's full shopping movements and interests on the site, like items that were wish-listed or saved for later. If prosecutors can link Kohberger to the purchase of a knife that could have been used in the killings, experts say that could help bolster their case.

What will happen to the house?

The University of Idaho announced in February that the house where the four students were killed would be torn down, with university President Scott Green calling it "a healing step."

In June, a university spokesperson said the school planned to demolish the house before students returned to campus in the fall.

In July, the university announced a sudden halt to the demolition plans as they removed asbestos and lead from the home -- and amid objections from some of the victims' families who expressed concern that demolishing the house before Kohberger's trial could cause unanticipated problems for prosecutors as they try to secure a guilty verdict.

About two weeks after Kohberger waived his speedy right to a trial in August, university officials decided they would hold off on tearing down the home until at least the end of the fall semester, which ends in mid-December.

With no new trial date set, prosecutors asked the University of Idaho for access to the house.

The university said FBI agents would be at the house on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 "to get documentation to construct visual and audio exhibits and a physical model of the home."

"While the university still intends to demolish the home, it will not be done this semester," the university said on Oct. 31.

The families

Ethan Chapin, who was a triplet, had been planning his 21st birthday with his siblings "forever," his parents said. Last month, his brother, Hunter, and sister, Maizie, turned 21 without him.

As the Chapins face one year without Ethan, they said they plan on acknowledging Nov. 13 with a private fundraiser for their foundation, Ethan's Smile Foundation, to help provide scholarships to post-high school students so that they can follow their dreams. The Chapins said they can't think of a better way to honor their son than to support education.

"Ethan stood for love, kindness, laughter and loyalty," his mother, Stacy Chapin, told ABC News. "He was the very best."

Kaylee Goncalves' dad, Steve Goncalves, said Kaylee's younger siblings are now grappling with their own birthdays. He said "they don't want to be older than their sister."

To Steve Goncalves, Nov. 13 is not an anniversary.

"This is more like a memorial -- some type of an event that you have to look at and think about, but it's not something that you ever look forward to," he told ABC News.

"My daughter has allowed me to meet people across the world through her life and memory and her beauty. And I'll thank her one day when I see her," Steve Goncalves said. "I'll tell her how much she impacted the world and how proud of her I am."

FOLLOW THE PODCAST: " The King Road Killings: An Idaho Murder Mystery " from ABC News, available on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Amazon Music , or your preferred podcast player.

ABC News' Kayna Whitworth, Nick Cirone and Timmy Truong contributed to this report.

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• Idaho College Murders

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Football independents Sacred Heart and Merrimack to play for Yankees Conference champion

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The Pac-12 won’t be the only two-team conference in Division I football this season — sort of.

Sacred Heart and Merrimack announced Wednesday that they will play for the Yankee Conference title on Nov. 16, reviving the brand of the old New England-based league that eventually stretched down the East Coast before folding in 1996.

Sacred Heart, based in Fairlfield, Connecticut, and Merrimack, based in North Andover, Massachusetts, compete as independents in Division I’s second tier, the Championship Subdivision. Both competed in the Northeast Conference through last season, before deciding to join the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

The MAAC does not sponsor football.

In major college football, Oregon State and Washington State are still operating the Pac-12 as a two-team conference after the league was poached of 10 schools by competitors.

NCAA rules allow for a two-team conference to operate for two years, giving Oregon State and Washington State a chance to rebuild.

The Yankee Conference is being reborn only in name and spirit by Sacred Heart and Merrimack.

“It will be a wonderful experience for our student-athletes to compete for the historic trophy. We have developed a great rivalry with Merrimack College, having several significant and exciting games in recent years,” Sacred Heart athletic director Judy Ann Riccio said.

The teams will play their regular-season finales Nov. 16 at Merrimack for The Yankee Conference Championship presented by Leona, a marketing firm.

“We are proud to be able to compete against Sacred Heart University for The Yankee Conference Championship, a brand that carries such strong history and tradition in Division I college football,” Merrimack AD Jeremy Gibson said.

The Yankee Conference began in 1946 with six New England schools, including Maine and UConn. It expanded South in the 1980s and ‘90s, including the additions of James Madison and William & Mary, before merging with the Colonial Athletic Conference in 1996.

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

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Create meaningful solutions in Ringling College of Art and Design’s Graphic Design BFA program . Join award-winning faculty and students and learn to apply your design to a broad spectrum of 2D, 3D, and screen-based media. Specialize in branding, packaging, or interactive design. Apply now!

Top 5 Graphic Design School Programs in Connecticut - 2024 College Rankings

What are the top Connecticut graphic design schools for 2024?

Our 2024 ranking of the top 5 graphic design school programs in Connecticut. For an explanation of the ranking criteria,  click here .

Yale University (Yale) is home to the School of Art (SoA). Within the school is an Art major for students enrolled in Yale College, and MFA degrees in Graphic Design, Photography, Painting and Printmaking, and Sculpture. Across programs, students have the option to enroll in elective courses in other professional schools across the university. 

Other Yale SoA features include visiting professionals that take part in lectures and critiques; free evening events hosted by faculty members and visiting artists; and two galleries—Green Hall and 32 Edgewood Gallery. Both galleries are open year-round with frequent exhibitions by students, faculty, and special guests. 

The Graphic Design MFA program at Yale University accepts just 12 students each year and up to six students into the preliminary-year program. This option is ideal for students with experience in an area outside of design. Consisting of 60 credit hours, the MFA consists of workshops, lectures, exhibitions, and presentations. Students also benefit from immersive studio work; individual sessions with editing and writing tutors; group thesis meetings; and access to more than 2,000 courses each year. 

Examples of required courses for the program include Interactive Design and the Internet: Software for People; Critical and Professional Practice; Advanced Graphic Design: Ad Hoc Series and Systems; First-Year Graduate Studio: Graphic Design; Second-Year Graduate Studio: Graphic Design; Writing as Visual Practice; and Degree Presentation in Graphic Design. 

All MFA students benefit from designated workspaces in the design studio loft; access to motion capture and VR tools at the Center for Collaborative Arts and Media; unlimited access to equipment such as the RISO Digital Duplicator, Vandercook presses, bookbinding materials, and wide format printers; opportunities to attend conferences and film festivals; and access to Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library; and 

The Yale SoA Graphic Design MFA culminates with the completion of a thesis and a professional portfolio. The program takes two years to complete, full-time. Graduates are prepared to pursue design roles at advertising agencies, print and online publishing companies, public relations firms, computer systems design companies, design firms, web design studios, manufacturing companies, and marketing firms. 

Established in 1701, Yale University is one of the oldest institutes of higher learning in the U.S. A member of the Ivy League, the school houses approximately 15,080 students served by more than 10,500 staff members. Eighty majors are provided across more than 100 departments and schools including Yale College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and Yale Professional Schools—including the School Art (SoA). 

Established in 1869, Yale SoA was the nation’s first art school connected with an institution of higher learning. The school serves more than 100 students enrolled in five programs. As part of Yale University, the School of Art is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

University of Hartford (UHart) houses Hartford Art School (HAS). Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the school serves approximately 400 students enrolled in eight studio majors leading to a BFA, one Art History BA, two MFA degrees, and a number of minors. 

All programs feature small class sizes; studio-based curriculums; access to a 65,000 square foot facility that houses senior studio spaces and 100 Apple computer stations; and study abroad experiences at art and design institutions such as Slade School of Fine Art (London); University of Tasmania (Australia), and Glasgow School of Art (Scotland). 

For students interested in pursuing a career in graphic design, UHart’s Hartford Art School provides a 18 credit hour Visual Communication Design (VCD) minor and a 120 credit hour BFA program. 

The full-time degree program begins a foundation year that focuses on creative growth and skills development. Upon successful completion of the foundation year, students will begin working their way through design intensives and independent studios. In all, BCD students will complete 77–80 studio credits in the major, plus 45–46 academic credits. 

Course examples for the program include Issues in Design; Experimental Typography; Design Systems; Sequential Graphics; Type I-II; Image Making and Meaning; and Design Problem Solving. Electives allow students to create a focus. Elective examples include Advertising Illustration; Book Arts; Foundation 2D Studio; Digital Illustration; and Printmaking. 

All VCD BFA students have the opportunity to gain hands on experience through the Civic Design course, and the design internship. In the Civic Design course students have a chance to work with local clients. 

In the senior year of the VCD BFA program at University of Hartford, students will complete the Senior Project and Senior Portfolio courses. During the project course, students will work independently to identify and investigate a specific problem or theme in graphic design. During the Senior Portfolio course, faculty will assist students with the preparation and development a professional presentation. The course also focuses on career planning, resume preparation, and professionalism. 

The project course ends with the production of the thesis. This final project will be displayed at a networking event attended by design professionals and recruiters. 

Graduates of the Hartford Art School gone on to establish careers at advertising agencies, publishing companies, web design studios, newspapers and magazines, television networks, film studios, healthcare providers, technology companies, and more. Some program alumni have gone on to pursue an advanced degree, while others have launched their own studios or freelance businesses.

University of Hartford HAS alumni have worked on projects for Amazon and Netflix, and their work has been presented at museums and galleries such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET), Team Gallery, and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery. Graduates of the art and design programs at University of Hartford have also been hired at places such as ESPN, Travelers, Nike, Pentagram, and CVS Health. 

Chartered in 1957, University of Hartford is a four-year private university that serves approximately 5,900 students from 48 states and 51 countries. The school provides more than 175 programs spanning the arts, business, education, engineering, technology, health, and humanities are provided across seven colleges and schools. University of Hartford has been continuously accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) since 1961.

University of Connecticut (UConn) is home to the School of Fine Arts. Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), the school houses the Department of Art and Art History (AAH), which has several paths to study graphic design. They include the Art BA and BFA programs, and the Studio Art BFA. All options provide the option to select a concentration in Graphic Design; Illustration/Animation; Printmaking; Industrial Design; Painting/Drawing; Photography/Video; or Sculpture/Ceramics. 

All BFA students have the opportunity to participate in participate in the study abroad program Graphic Design in London . For this overseas learning experience, students will enroll at Central Saint Martins (CSM), which is part of the University of the Arts London. Alongside CSM peers, UConn students will complete graphic design, art history, and elective coursework totaling 12-15 credit hours. 

The Graphic Design concentration features a studio-based curriculum that explores print, installation, motion, and interactive design. In addition studios in interaction, motion, and publishing, students will develop professional skills in the Design Center. This award-winning student graphic design studio allows students to work on client-based projects for academic credit. 

Other program features includes intensive workshops led by visiting artists; mentoring; internship and co-op opportunities; and access to state-of-the-art tools and facilities. This includes screenprinting, letterpress, animation, and ceramic studios; a risograph digital duplicator; dark rooms; wood and metal shops; laser and plasma cutters; and a CNC machine. 

Courses for the concentration include Introduction to Digital Media; Graphic Design: Process and Thinking; Graphic Design 1: Typography; Graphic Design 2: Visual Systems; Graphic Design 3: Relational Design; and Graphic Design 4: Communication Dynamics. Students will also take common art courses such as Drawing I-II; Printmaking Studio; Criticism and Interpretation; and Studio Concepts. 

The Art and Studio Art programs at UConn culminates with a body of work to be exhibited at the Annual Senior Show. 

Graduates of the Art/Graphic Design programs at University of Connecticut are prepared to pursue design roles across industries. Program alumni have been hired at places such as Electronic Arts (EA), Ogilvy, IDEO, Google, Crispin, Food & Wine, Weiden+Kennedy, Wolf Olins, Viacom, Yale University Art Gallery, YouTube, Pentagram, NBCUniversal, Cigna, Bloomingdale’s, Best Buy, and Aetna. 

Some UConn graduates go on to pursue graduate studies at places such as UCLA, Yale, NYU, Royal College of Art (London), School of the Art Institute of Chicago, New York Institute of Technology (NYIT), School of Visual Arts, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Carnegie Mellon, Pratt Institute, California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), MITMediaLab, and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).  

Founded in 1881, University of Connecticut began as Storrs Agricultural School. When the school opened, it welcomed 13 male students and three faculty members. Today, UConn enrolls approximately 32,330 students, served by more than 18,000 faculty and staff. With one main campus at Storrs, and four regional campuses, the school provides eight undergraduate degrees with 129 majors; 17 graduate degrees in 100 research and professional practice fields of study; and six professional degree programs across 14 colleges and schools. University of Connecticut is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

Central Connecticut State University (Central) is home to the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, which houses the Department of Art and Design. Within the department are two paths to graphic design. At the undergraduate level, students can earn a BA in Graphic/Information Design. At the graduate level, students can earn an Information Design MA. 

The Graphic/Information Design BA is a multidisciplinary program that explores graphic design, interactive multimedia, design history, animation, digital design, 3D motion, and web design. A major component of the program is the 400-level Central Design course. Set up as an in-house design studio, the course provides the opportunity to work on real projects and productions with local non-profits. All projects will become a part of the student’s final portfolio. 

To enhance the degree, BA students may also add a minor. Examples include Strategic Communication; Media Studies; Writing & Publishing; Art for Graphic Information Design Majors; Marketing; Game Studies; Graphics Technology; Computer Science; and Entrepreneurship. 

Other program features include small class sizes; access to state-of-the-art tools and studios; internship and study abroad opportunities; on-campus and hybrid classes; full- and part-time schedules; and portfolio development. 

Graduates of the Graphic/Information Design BA program at Central Connecticut State University are prepared to pursue careers in areas such as advertising, marketing, branding, packaging, motion graphics, design print media, digital illustration, web design, book arts and design, UI/UX design, 3D Design, storyboard art, layout design, exhibit design, logo design, and social media design.   

The Information Design MA at Central Connecticut State University is a 36 credit hour program that explores design theory, process, and application. Course examples for the program include Integrated Marketing Communication; Graphic/Information Design Theory I-II; Advanced History of Design; Graphic/Information Design Practice I-II; Computer Applications for Graphic/Information Design; Central Design; Research Methods in Design; and Advanced Design Internship. 

The Information Design MA program at Central culminates with the research project capstone. Graduates are prepared to pursue leadership roles in graphic design, corporate information design, publishing, advertising, digital imaging, multimedia design, and web design.    

Central Connecticut State University serves approximately 9,715 students, making it the largest university in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system. Founded in 1849 as the New Britain Normal School, Central is also Connecticut’s oldest public university. The school provides more than 150 programs across five academic schools. Central Connecticut State University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

The School of Communication, Media and the Arts (SCMA) at Sacred Heart University (SHU) houses the Department of Art and Design and the BA program. Students in this program may select a concentration from three options including Graphic Design, Illustration, or Studio Art. All concentrations can be taken as minors as well. Concentrations require 33 credit hours, while minors are 18 credit hours. 

Across programs, features include five art studios for graphic design, illustration, and painting projects; access to the state-of-the-art Digital Design Laboratory; participation in the SCMA Student Art Club; and study abroad experiences in places such as India and Ireland. 

Designed for students in related majors, the Graphic Design consists of courses such as Introduction to Digital Design; Graphic Design I-II; Design: Visual Organization; and Interactive 2D Animation. 

The Graphic Design concentration for the Art and Design BA program requires 33 credit hours. All students in the concentration will take foundational courses including Design: Visual Organization; Design II: Color; Introduction to Digital Design; and Drawing I. Art history courses are also required and include Art in the Western World and one of the following: American Art; Studies in Modern Art; or Introduction to Eastern Art.   

Students will take advanced level Graphic Design courses such as Advertising Design; Graphic Design I-IV; Design for the Web; Interactive Motion Graphics; Illustration; Interactive 2D Animation and Drawing II: Figure Drawing. 

The BA program culminates with the senior capstone course—Graphic Design Portfolio. Guided by faculty and visiting professionals, the capstone focuses on developing a professional portfolio and promotional materials. Final projects will be presented in a public exhibition to area design, advertising, marketing, and recruitment professionals. 

Graduates of the Art and Design BA program at Sacred Heart University are prepared to pursue design roles across industries. Possible job titles include Graphic Designer, Book Designer, Publications Designer, Brand Identity Designer, Art Director, Logo Designer, Web Designer, Advertising Designer, Packaging Designer, Layout Artist, Exhibit Designer, and Creative Director. 

Founded in 1963, Sacred Heart University opened with 200 undergraduate students. Today, the school serves approximately 11,180 students from 42 states, DC, two. U.S. territories, and over 40 countries. Students at SHU have access to nearly 90 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs across five distinct colleges and three schools. Sacred Heard University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

Organizing Academic Research Papers: Writing a Research Proposal

• Purpose of Guide
• Design Flaws to Avoid
• Glossary of Research Terms
• Narrowing a Topic Idea
• Broadening a Topic Idea
• Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
• Academic Writing Style
• Choosing a Title
• Making an Outline
• Paragraph Development
• Executive Summary
• Background Information
• The Research Problem/Question
• Theoretical Framework
• Citation Tracking
• Content Alert Services
• Evaluating Sources
• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Tertiary Sources
• What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
• Qualitative Methods
• Quantitative Methods
• Using Non-Textual Elements
• Limitations of the Study
• Common Grammar Mistakes
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Footnotes or Endnotes?
• Further Readings
• Annotated Bibliography
• Dealing with Nervousness
• Using Visual Aids
• Grading Someone Else's Paper
• How to Manage Group Projects
• Multiple Book Review Essay
• Reviewing Collected Essays
• About Informed Consent
• Writing Field Notes
• Writing a Policy Memo
• Writing a Research Proposal
• Acknowledgements

The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify a research idea you have and to present the practical ways in which you think this research should be conducted. The forms and procedures for such research are defined by the field of study, so guidelines for research proposals are generally more exacting and less formal than a project proposal. Research proposals contain extensive literature reviews and must provide persuasive evidence that there is a need for the research study being proposed. In addition to providing rationale for the proposed research, a proposal describes detailed methodology for conducting the research consistent with requirements of the professional or academic field and a statement on anticipated outcomes and/or benefits derived from the study.

Krathwohl, David R. How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences . Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005.

How to Approach Writing a Research Proposal

Your professor may assign the task of writing a research proposal for the following reasons:

• Develop your skills in thinking about and designing a comprehensive research study.
• Help learn how to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature to ensure a research problem has not already been answered [or you may determine the problem has been answered ineffectively] and, in so doing, become familiar with scholarship related to your topic.
• Improve your general research and writing skills.
• Practice identifying what logical steps must be taken to accomplish one's research goals.
• Nurture a sense of inquisitiveness within yourself and to help see yourself as an active participant in the process of doing scholarly research.

A proposal should contain all the key elements involved in designing a complete research study, with sufficient information that allows readers to assess the validity and usefulness of your proposed study. The only elements missing from a research proposal are the results of the study and your analysis of those results. Finally, an effective proposal is judged on the quality of your writing. It is, therefore, important that your writing is coherent, clear, and compelling.

Regardless of the research problem you are investigating and the methodology you choose, all research proposals must address the following questions:

• What do you plan to accomplish? Be clear and succient in defining the research problem and what it is you are proposing to research.
• Why do you want to do it? In addition to detailing your research design, you also must conduct a thorough review of the literature and provide convincing evidence that it is a topic worthy of study. Be sure to answer the "So what? question.
• How are you going to do it? Be sure that what you propose is doable.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Failure to be concise; being "all over the map" without a clear sense of purpose.
• Failure to cite landmark works in your literature review.
• Failure to delimit the contextual boundaries of your research [e.g., time, place, people, etc.].
• Failure to develop a coherent and persuasive argument for the proposed research.
• Failure to stay focused on the research question; going off on unrelated tangents.
• Sloppy or imprecise writing. Poor grammar.
• Too much detail on minor issues, but not enough detail on major issues.

Procter, Margaret. The Academic Proposal .  The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Sanford, Keith. Information for Students: Writing a Research Proposal . Baylor University; Wong, Paul T. P. How to Write a Research Proposal . International Network on Personal Meaning. Trinity Western University; Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences, Articles, and Books . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing a Research Proposal. University Library. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Structure and Writing Style

Beginning the Proposal Process

As with writing a traditional research paper, research proposals are generally organized the same way throughout the social sciences. Most proposals are between ten and fifteen pages in length. However, before you begin, read the assignment carefully and, if anything seems unclear, ask your professor whether there are any specific requirements for organizing and writing the proposal.

A good place to begin is to ask yourself a series of questions:

• What do I want to study, and why?
• How is it significant within the subject areas covered in my class?
• What problems will it help solve?
• How does it build upon [and hopefully go beyond] research already conducted on my topic?
• What exactly should I plan to do, and can I get it done in the time available?

In the end, your research proposal should document your knowledge of the topic and highlight enthusiasm for conducting the study. Approach it with the intention of leaving your readers feeling like--"Wow, that's an exciting idea and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!"

In general your proposal should include the following sections:

I.  Introduction

In the real world of higher education, a research proposal is most often written by scholars seeking grant funding for a research project or it's the first step in getting approval to write your doctoral dissertation. Even if this is just a course assignment, treat your introduction as the initial pitch of an idea. After reading the introduction, your readers should not only have an understanding of what you want to do, but they should also be able to sense your passion for the topic and be excited about its possible outcomes.

Think about your introduction as a narrative written in one to three paragraphs that succinctly answers the following four questions :

• What is the central research problem?
• What is the topic of study related to that problem?
• What methods should be used to analyze the research problem?
• Why is this important research, and why should someone reading the proposal care about the outcomes from the study?

II.  Background and Significance

This section can be melded into your introduction or you can create a separate section to help with the organization and flow of your proposal. This is where you explain the context of your project and outline why it's important. Approach writing this section with the thought that you can’t assume your readers will know as much about the research problem as you do. Note that this section is not an essay going over everything you have learned about the research problem; instead, you must choose what is relevant to help explain your goals for the study.

To that end, while there are no hard and fast rules, you should attempt to deal with some or all of the following:

• State the research problem and give a more detailed explanation about the purpose of the study than what you stated in the introduction.
• Present the rationale of your proposed study and clearly indicate why it is worth doing. Answer the "So what? question [i.e., why should anyone care].
• Describe the major issues or problems to be addressed by your research.
• Explain how you plan to go about conducting your research. Clearly identify the key sources you intend to use and explain how they will contribute to the analysis of your topic.
• Set the boundaries of your proposed research in order to provide a clear focus.
• Provide definitions of key concepts or terms, if necessary.

III.  Literature Review

Connected to the background and significance of your study is a more deliberate review and synthesis of prior studies related to the research problem under investigation . The purpose here is to place your project within the larger whole of what is currently being explored, while demonstrating to your readers that your work is original and innovative. Think about what questions other researchers have asked, what methods they've used, and what is your understanding of their findings. Assess what you believe is still missing, and state how previous research has failed to examine the issue that your study addresses.

Since a literature review is information dense, it is crucial that this section is intelligently structured to enable a reader to grasp the key arguments underpinning your study in relation to that of other researchers. A good strategy is to break the literature into "conceptual categories" [themes] rather than systematically describing materials one at a time.

To help frame your proposal's literature review, here are the "five C’s" of writing a literature review:

• Cite : keep the primary focus on the literature pertinent to your research problem.
• Compare the various arguments, theories, methodologies, and findings expressed in the literature: what do the authors agree on? Who applies similar approaches to analyzing the research problem?
• Contrast the various arguments, themes, methodologies, approaches and controversies expressed in the literature: what are the major areas of disagreement, controversy, or debate?
• Critique the literature: Which arguments are more persuasive, and why? Which approaches, findings, methodologies seem most reliable, valid, or appropriate, and why? Pay attention to the verbs you use to describe what an author says/does [e.g., asserts, demonstrates, etc.] .
• Connect the literature to your own area of research and investigation: how does your own work draw upon, depart from, or synthesize what has been said in the literature?

IV.  Research Design and Methods

This section must be well-written and logically organized because you are not actually doing the research . As a consequence, the reader will never have a study outcome from which to evaluate whether your methodological choices were the correct ones. The objective here is to ensure that the reader is convinced that your overall research design and methods of analysis will correctly address the research problem. Your design and methods should be absolutely and unmistakably tied to the specific aims of your study.

Describe the overall research design by building upon and drawing examples from your review of the literature. Be specific about the methodological approaches you plan to undertake to collect information, about the techniques you will use to analyze it, and about tests of external validity to which you commit yourself [i.e., the trustworthiness by which you can generalize from your study to other people, places or times].

When describing the methods you will use, be sure to cover these issues:

• Specify the research operations you will undertake and the way you will interpret the results of these operations in relation to your research problem. Don't just describe what you intend to achieve from applying the methods you choose, but state how you will spend your time while doing it.
• Keep in mind that a methodology is not just a list of research tasks; it is an argument as to why these tasks add up to the best way to investigate the research problem. This is an important point because the mere listing of tasks to perform does not demonstrate that they add up to the best feasible approach.
• Be sure to anticipate and acknowledge any potential barriers and pitfalls in carrying out your research design and explain how you plan to get around them.

V.  Preliminary Suppositions and Implications

Just because you don't have to actually conduct the study and analyze the results, it doesn't mean that you can skip talking about the process and potential implications . The purpose of this section is to argue how and in what ways you believe your research will refine, revise, or extend existing knowledge in the subject area under investigation. Depending on the aims and objectives of your study, describe how the anticipated results of your study will impact future scholarly research, theory, practice, forms of interventions, or policy. Note that such discussions may have either substantive [a potential new policy], theoretical [a potential new understanding], or methodological [a potential new way of analyzing] significance.   When thinking about the potential implications of your study, ask the following questions:

• What might the results mean in regards to the theoretical framework that frames the study?
• What suggestions for subsequent research could arise from the potential outcomes of the study?
• What will the results mean to practitioners in the "real world"?
• Will the results influence programs, methods, and/or forms of intervention?
• How might the results contribute to the solution of social, economic, or other types of problems?
• Will the results influence policy decisions?
• What will be improved or changed as a result of the proposed research?
• How will the results of the study be implemented, and what innovations will come about?

VI.  Conclusion

The conclusion reiterates the importance or significance of your proposal and provides a brief recap of the entire study . This section should be only one or two paragraphs long, emphasizing why your research study is unique, why it advances knowledge, and why the research problem is worth investigating.

Someone reading this section should come away with an understanding of:

• Why the study was done,
• The specific purpose of the study and the research questions it attempted to answer,
• The research design and methods used,
• The potential implications emerging from your proposed study of the research problem, and
• A sense of how your study fits within the broader scholarship about the research problem.

VII.  Citations

As with any scholarly research paper, you must cite the sources you used in composing your proposal. In a standard research proposal, this section can take two forms, so speak with your professor about which one is preferred.

• References -- lists only the literature that you actually used or cited in your proposal.
• Bibliography -- lists everything you used or cited in your proposal with additional citations of any key sources relevant to understanding the research problem.

In either case, this section should testify to the fact that you did enough preparatory work to make sure the project will complement and not duplicate the efforts of other researchers. Start a new page and use the heading "References" or "Bibliography" at the top of the page. Cited works should always use a standard format that follows the writing style advised by the discipline of your course [i.e., education=APA; history=Chicago, etc]. This section normally does not count towards the total length of your proposal.

Develop a Research Proposal: Writing the Proposal . Office of Library Information Services. Baltimore County Public Schools; Krathwohl, David R. How to Prepare a Dissertation Proposal: Suggestions for Students in Education and the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2005; Procter, Margaret. The Academic Proposal . The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Punch, Keith and Wayne McGowan. Developing and Writing a Research Proposal. In From Postgraduate to Social Scientist: A Guide to Key Skills. Nigel Gilbert, ed. (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2006), 59-81; Sanford, Keith. Information for Students: Writing a Research Proposal . Baylor University; Wong, Paul T. P. How to Write a Research Proposal . International Network on Personal Meaning. Trinity Western University; Writing Academic Proposals: Conferences, Articles, and Books . The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing a Research Proposal . University Library. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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• Last Updated: Jul 18, 2023 11:58 AM
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Home > SHU Graduate Scholarship > Educational Leadership Theses

EDL Sixth Year Theses

In 2019 the Farrington College of Education and Human Development re-imagined the academic requirements for the Sixth Year program. With the onset of a new Ed.D. that required doctoral-level research, the thesis requirement from the Sixth Year was eliminated. As a result, the last Sixth Year theses were published in 2018.

The Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Educational Leadership program was designed for those interested in further study in administration and for maintaining administrator (092) certification. It consisted of an additional 15 credits beyond the initial Intermediate Administrator (092) Certificate program. The CAS in Educational Leadership culminated in a three course sequence (i.e., EDL689-EDL690-EDL691) designed to prepare students to identify a research problem based on a deficiency in the existing literature on a chosen topic; design and conduct a study to address that research problem; and report the results of that study, outline implications for practitioners based on those results, and make suggestions for future research.

Theses from 2018 2018

Language Learning: A Study of Academic Self-Efficacy in a Suburban High School , Geneviève Brand

The Perceived Efficacy of Tier I Intervention Strategies as a Precursor to Tier II Pull-Out Mathematics Intervention for Students with ADD/ADHD by Elementary Classroom Teachers , Dawn Campbell

Theses from 2017 2017

Perceptions of Efficacy in Connecticut Social Studies Certification: An Analysis of the #026 Social Studies Certification as It Relates to Sufficiency in Content Knowledge According to the Perceptions of Department Chairpersons , Vincent A. Artese

Teacher Attitudes on Assessing Student Effort , Catherine A. Egan

Evaluation and Student Learning Objectives in Connecticut Schools , Vittoria Fielosh

Efficacy of North Haven’s Response to Intervention in Reducing Over-Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities , Karyn B. Gallagher

Relationships Between Self-Concept, Teacher Expectation, and Academic Achievement: An Analysis of Social-Emotional Well Being and its Relation to Classroom Performance , Katherine E. Stearns

Theses from 2016 2016

Emotional Regulation and Technology in Various Educational Environments , Aimee Boyle

Factors Influencing Student Engagement , Maria DeVito

The Impact of Response to Intervention in a High School Mathematics Setting , Lauren Dominick

Social Emotional Development's Effect on Academic Achievement of Children with Special Needs , Adrienne Dunn

Music Teachers’ Perceptions of Efficacy: Student Learning Objectives and Data Driven Indicators , Geno Heiter

Power, Positioning, and the Potential of Adult Learning Communities , Jacquelyn McManus

Is the Flipped Classroom Pedagogy Effective for All Students? , Stephanie Quarato

Theses from 2015 2015

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports: Effects of Check In-Check Out , Jacklyn A. Angelone

Flipping in a Technological Rich Classroom , John W. Budge

Perceptions on Inclusion in Elementary Schools , Rosanne Field

The Impact of Early Numeracy Intervention on Kindergarten Students , Jennifer L. Hill

The Importance of Highly Effective School Library Media Programs on School Learning Environments , Alexandra M. Juch

The Impact of Professional Development on Blended Learning on High School Teachers , Laura A. Kulpa

Male Gender Disparity Gap: Does Gender Impact Education , Laura D. Smith

A Case Study of Teacher Leadership at an Elementary School , Allison Wills

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