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Qualifying Paper Guidelines

The Qualifying Paper is a starting point for dissertation research. In the Qualifying Paper, a Ph.D. student should (1) explore a potential dissertation research topic (that should lead to feasible, original, and applied research project), (2) demonstrate readiness to engage in research, and (3) demonstrate overall understanding of the field of global leadership studies.

The paper should describe what might be studied in the proposed dissertation and why a particular phenomenon needs to be studied. In addition, a student has to provide a brief explanation of how this phenomenon might be studied. The intention of the how component is to offer preliminary thoughts on potential research hypotheses and research design. The main focus, however, should be placed on the what and why components.

Writing the Qualifying Paper provides an opportunity for a student and committee members to engage in discussions about (1) significance of a suggested topic to scholarship and practice, (2) relevance of this topic to the field of global leadership studies, (3) appropriateness of a conceptual framework, and (4) feasibility of a study.

Discussion with committee members at the Qualifying Paper Defense will help a student to prepare a better developed dissertation proposal, refine theoretical framework, or to select a more appropriate research topic.

The Qualifying Paper should include the following sections:

  • Introduction (overview of what will be included in the paper and why).
  • Statement of the Problem (overall global conditions where a proposed global leadership phenomenon is observed; understanding of global leadership; arguments about what we know, do not know, and need to know about a suggested global leadership phenomenon to enrich global leadership scholarship and aid practitioners in global organizations).
  • Theoretical framework (description of main concepts suggested for the study and appropriate theories).
  • Significance of the study (for scholars and practitioners).
  • Research Purpose and Questions (overall study purpose, research gap(s), and broad research questions to address in the study).
  • Method (briefly state proposed research method, hypotheses, research design, potential variables and instruments (where applicable), sample description, etc., and explain your choices; this section should represent a student’s understanding of the connection between a research question and a chosen research method; at the same time, this section is NOT expected to be a completed Method Chapter for the dissertation).

Format

  • APA style
  • Approximately 40 pages (excluding a title page and references)
  • Title page and References

The Qualifying Paper Defense has the following format:

  • It’s scheduled for one hour. starting with the student’s presentation (up to 25 minutes), followed by a Q&A session, and finished with a committee decision to allow a student to move to the Dissertation Proposal stage or to remain in the Qualifying Paper stage (e.g., work on revisions, select a new topic).
  • A student presents a strong argument (that includes reasoning, empirical evidence, and cited references) to support his or her choice of a dissertation topic.
  • A student presents brief ideas about potential dissertation research method.

NOTE: Research method is not a part of the Qualifying Paper Defense since the main goals of the Qualifying Paper are to determine feasibility, originality, applied nature, and global leadership applicability of a proposed dissertation topic. At the same time, prior to the defense, committee members will review a student’s suggestion for potential research method, and at the defense, a student will do a very brief presentation of proposed research method, and committee members will share their considerations and questions.

EXAMPLE OF A TITLE PAGE

The Experiences and Perceptions of Leader-Managers:

A Study on Leadership-Management Selection, Development, and Practices

in State-Owned Enterprises in China

by

Your Name

Qualifying Paper submitted to the Faculty Division

Of PhD Studies in Global Leadership

College of Professional Studies

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy in Global Leadership

Indiana Institute of Technology

Date

Rev. 5/13/2013

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