Essay Instructions: I am ordering a dissertation proposal (include questionnaire) now, if this dissertation proposal could pass with my dissertation committees smoothly, I certainly will order my whole dissertation with you very soon (maybe around 160 pages). It is very important to make sure you could have right direction and good thoughts to develop the proposal from the beginning (After you finish, I need to discuss with my committee to make sure this proposal is on the right track); otherwise we will need more time to revise it (I hope not because the limitation of the time). I also request hardcopies of all the sources you have used in the proposal because I need all the references to attend the proposal defense meeting in our school (you told me the hardcopies are free, right? If you have any concern, please contact me ASAP).
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Thank You!
In my dissertation proposal, I have some RESQUEST as below:
1.My Dissertation Topic is:
The Impact of Web Site Design on Consumers?? Purchase Intentions and Loyalty in the Business-to- Consumer Internet Commerce: A Rhetorical Approach
Please check the article: Wendy Winn & Kati Beck. (2002). The persuasive power of design elements on an e-commerce Web site. Technical Communication, Vol.49, p 17-35. Feb 2002.
My dissertation idea mainly based on this article (Make sure you read and understand this article totally before you start to write the proposal). I would like use the independent variables that the authors mentioned in this article (Logos, Pathos, and Ethos) to measure the dependent variables (Consumers?? Purchase Intentions and Loyalty). This article used qualitative research method (do not follow the methodology of this article); however, I will use quantitative research method to develop my whole research structure. I hope use the online questionnaire survey to understand the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables, and how strong the persuasive power of design elements on an e-commerce Web site, how do design elements carry out the rhetorical function of persuasion, or how design elements appeal to the online shoppers. Please base on these thinking to develop a few research questions for objectives of my dissertation, and then design the research method to answer these research questions.
2.Please make sure you have a Ph.D. level writing
3.Do not plagiarize! (Very Importation!!!)
4.Please develop 30 pages (the references pages should not be included!) for my proposal (include survey questionnaire) in 13 days. Please on time?K
5.Use the APA style during whole writing, APA style will include 23 lines?? words in one page. Do not leave any space between paragraphs. (you do not need to follow the APA style in Survey Questionnaire)
6.My dissertation will use Quantitative Research Method to do the whole study. You must give each variable accurate definition in the proposal.
7.To write the proposal, please make sure you exactly follow every criteria in the GUIDELINE QUANTITATIVE DOCTORAL PROPOSAL below, and make sure that you will mention every parts when you are writing the proposal in order to fit our school??s rules.( It is very important, please make sure mention every details!)
8.The proposal outline would be( you can check more detail below):
I. INTRODUCTION (please write around 4 pages)
II. SCHOLARSHIP (please write around 10 pages)
A.Literature Review
B. Theory
C. Contribution, Originality
III. RESEARCH DESIGN (please write around 10 pages)
A.Research Question
B. Design
C. Instrumentation
D. Population & Sample
E. Data Collection
F. Data Analysis
G. Ethics
IV. Summary (please write around 1 page)
V. Reference
VI. Appendix(ces)
A. Questionnaire (please layout all the questions around 2-3 pages)
9.In this proposal, the most important thing is to develop a future dissertation outline and make sure the content will support the study totally. For example, the outline may like the table of content of the real dissertation. After that, you could follow the outline to write down some important paragraphs for every part in this dissertation proposal to let my professors understand what I am going to do.
10.Please cite at least 60 sources or above in this proposal. Do not cite the same article too many times.
11.After you finish the dissertation proposal, I need the hardcopies of all the references (books or articles) that you have used in this proposal. I need all the references to attend the proposal defense meeting in our school.
12.In this quantitative research proposal, the most important part could be the Charter III: Research Design (My committees will critically review the Chapter III: RESEARCH DESIGN in this proposal.). Please make sure to develop a good research design for future dissertation research. It is very important that you could explain such questions as: how to reduce biases (researcher bias) on data-collection method, source, analyst, or theory in the proposal to show you have good plan.
13.Please develop questionnaire! The questionnaire is a part of proposal; however, it will be included in the Appendix. I hope can use Internet online survey to collect all the data in the future. You must give each variable accurate definition in the proposal, and then develop appropriate survey questions to make sure they can accord with the definition of the variables. You also need to make sure the questionnaire can answer all the research questions in this study after the data is collected. You need to develop around 30-40 questions or more in the questionnaire to measure the different independent and dependent variables for this study. After you develop the questionnaire, you better do the pilot test to make sure this questionnaire can be clearly understand and work?K Do not layout the questionnaire for too many pages because participants may feel too tired to answer all the questions (you do not need to follow the APA style here, and you can use smaller size words, single-spacing to layout the questionnaire.) I hope the visual layout of questionnaire can look professional.
14.In order to develop the future Web survey instrument. There is something you need to have plan in the proposal such as; who will come to the site to do the questionnaire? How many people will come? For how long?
15.Please use an open ended Likert scale rated from one to one hundred to develop the questionnaire. Develop 1 to 100 Likert-scale types for every question in the questionnaire.
For example:
How would you rate your interest in online shopping on a scale of 1 to 100, where 1 means ??Not at all interest, and 100 means ??Very Strongly Interest??. You can use any number from 1 to 100 to indicate the extent of your interest.
________ Number chosen
(This is just an example for you to understand what kind of style I need for the questionnaire; I believe you can develop better than me.)
16.I have some rough idea about my proposal, please read it to understand what I really want (you will find it below). However, you can change some of the content, if you think it is not appropriate for the future development.
17.If you have any extra questions about the proposal, please contact with me as soon as possible. Thank you!
GUIDELINES FOR QUANTITATIVE DOCTORAL DISSERTATION PROPOSALS
I. INTRODUCTION (please write around 4 pages)
The Introduction section provides an overview of your study. It describes the problem area your study will focus on, the rationale or need for an investigation in this area, the need for answering your particular research questions, and a basic overview of the design of your study. You must clearly describe
-The Background of the study (describe the background, including human subject research and references that are relevant to the design and conduct of the study.); -Purpose and key research questions;
-Importance of study;
-Objectives of study (state the objectives of the study as research questions and/or hypotheses, research question is clearly delimited, bounded, specified; has conceptual integrity.);
-Limitations of study;
-Structure of dissertation.
a. Describe the Who, What Where, When, Why and How of the Problem. Be Specific! What is the problem? Why is it a Problem? Who is involved? What is the environmental context? What is the historical context of the problem? Why is it important? (Just a brief overview here but this is more fully done in a later section)? Are there policy implications? Are there practice implications?
b. Enumerate and briefly explain the research question(s) to be answered and identify the policy, practice, or theory issues to be addressed. List specifically the major research questions, and any sub-questions under each major question.
c. Describe the frame of reference & identify the theoretica1/conceptual (or other) frame of reference, which is the context of the study. Summarize the elements of the rationale for the study and its design briefly here.
d. Provide a brief overview of your date sources and data analysis plans (research design), including procedures for collecting, organizing, and analyzing the data. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria- list specific eligibility requirements for subjects, including those criteria which would exclude otherwise acceptable subjects.
e. State your expected results ?V provide a brief summary of what findings are expected.
f. Fully discuss the significance/importance of the study:
1. Indicate how your research will refine, revise, or extend existing knowledge. Note that such refinements, revisions, or extensions may have both substantive and methodological significance.
2. Almost all studies have two potential audiences: practitioners and professional peers (scholars). Include statements relating the research to both groups.
3. Indicate what the research means for your institution or organization, e.g., it fits in with an institutional research program; it will contribute to renewed interest in research on the part of colleagues, etc.
4. Indicate what significance the research has in your own development.
g. Describe the scope and delimitation of your study (What will it include and why? What will be left out & why?
h. Outline the contents of the rest of the proposal.
II. SCHOLARSHIP (please write around 10 pages)
A. LITERATURE REVIEW
1. Pertinent literature, conceptual & empirical, has been reviewed.
2. If there is little or limited literature on the topic, writer has reviewed material close to the problem.
3. Literature review demonstrates sound knowledge of, synthesis of, and critical thinking about the literature.
4. Diversity issues are documented and discussed as appropriate to the study topic.
B. THEORY
1. An epistemological position is stated and expanded upon.
2. A theoretical framework or perspective is articulated or developed and articulated.
3. Competing theories are identified and a rationale offered for the choice of the selected theory or why a new theory is being developed.
4. Strengths and weaknesses of the selected theory are identified (a critique using relevant literature).
5. The selected theory is appropriate to the research question.
6. Integration of theory and empirical data is evident in the discussion and development of the theoretical framework to be used.
C. CONTRIBUTION, ORIGINALITY
1.The researcher identifies ways the study, substantively or methodologically, will make an original contribution; how the proposed study provides, in the definition of the problem/question, the theoretical perspective, the methods to be employed some contribution that is different from previous work and distinctly reflects the researcher??s own thinking.
III. RESEARCH DESIGN (please write around 10 pages)
B.RESEARCH QUESTION
1. Questions are appropriate to quantitative methods and clearly flow from the literature.
2. Rationale and assumptions underlying the study are explicit.
3. Questions & sub questions clearly articulated.
B. DESIGN
1. Design of study is clearly identified (experiment, cross-sectional survey, longitudinal survey, content analysis, secondary analysis, multi-method, etc.)
2. Design of study is appropriate to research questions/hypotheses and epistemological position.
3. Operational definitions given for all important terms and concepts in hypotheses.
4. Variables used are clearly specified (definition each variable).
5. If independent variables (treatments, interventions, and exposure to programs) are/are to be manipulated, this is clearly described.
6. If a treatment/intervention is the independent variable, there is evidence that it will be/has been delivered in a uniform, standardized way.
7. Confounding variables are identified and methods of control well described.
8. In replication studies, special attention is given to maintaining equivalent conditions for all critical variables.
9. Strengths and limitations of the design are identified and discussed. How to reduce biases (researcher bias) on data-collection method, source, analyst, or theory in the proposal to show you have good plan.
10. Describe the involvement of human subjects including initial evaluation procedures and screening tests, phases, procedures and sequence of the study.
11. Address the experience of investigators if procedures are to be performed for which the investigators have not been specifically credentialed.
12. Describe any costs related to the research procedures that are over and above those incurred by standard treatment, and indicate who will be responsible for them.
13. Analysis of the Study
a.Delineate the precise outcomes (variables) to be measured.
b.Describe how data will be analyzed, including statistical analysis.
c.Describe methods used to estimate the required number of subjects.
C. INSTRUMENTATION
1. Instruments and other measurement devices and procedures are clearly linked to each defined variable.
2. Instruments/measurement protocols are justified as appropriate for the study population (in terms of age and other diversity parameters).
3. Rationale for selection of each instrument is presented, along with supporting literature on the psychometrics of instruments, including reliability and validity.
4. Reliability and validity of standardized instruments will be or is re-established for study sample/population.
5. If instruments are used for which psychometric properties are unknown, a clear rationale for their choice is presented.
6. If original instruments or procedures are used, their development is described and justified.
7. If original scales are to be developed, a plan to establish their psychometric properties (reliability, validity) is developed. (You must describe the reliability and validity about your study. How do you build the reliability and validity about your study?)
8. Monitoring Subjects and Criteria for Withdrawal of Subjects from the Study
a.Describe the types, frequency and duration of tests, admissions (inpatient) outpatient visits. Consider specifying a monitor if the study involves a blinded design.
b. Define stop points and criteria for withdrawing subjects from the study.
D. POPULATION & SAMPLE
1. If a population is used/is to be used, the rationale for its use and its parameters are clearly described.
2. If a sample is used/is to be used, the population (of people, case records, text, etc.), method of sampling and rationale for the sampling method are well described.
3. Rationale for the sample size is indicated, preferably based on a power analysis or other acceptable criterion (e.g., confidence level/confidence interval justification).
4. External validity/transferability/generalizability of the study is addressed.
5. The sampling plan is consistent with the design, method and statistical procedures to be used in the analysis.
6. Sources of and procedures for recruitment of participants are detailed.
7. Procedures to enhance response rates and participant retention in the study are specified.
8. Attrition rate is anticipated and a strategy to handle it is specified.
9. Strengths and limitations of the population/sampling strategy are identified and discussed.
E. DATA COLLECTION
1. Methods/protocols of data collection are clearly described: how data are to be collected, by whom, under what conditions are clear.
2. Methods/protocols of data collection are appropriate to the research questions and design.
3. Methods of data collection are appropriate to the participants on gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation and other diversity dimensions.
4. Pre-test/pilot test plan is adequately described and is appropriate.
5. If applicable/appropriate, pilot data results are presented.
6. Strengths and limitations of the data collection strategy are identified and discussed.
F. DATA ANALYSIS
1. The nature/approach of the data analysis is clearly described and justified.
2. Analysis is consistent with questions, hypotheses, level of variable measure, and design.
3. If assumptions of chosen statistical models are violated, protective measures are indicated.
4. Data analysis demonstrates sound knowledge of the techniques used and their alternatives.
5. Strengths and limitations of the data analysis strategy are identified and discussed.
G. ETHICS
1. Research goals are consistent with the principles of working toward improving the situation of individuals and/or groups in society.
2. If this study involves human participants, the benefits and risks are clearly identified and communicated to participants.
3. If this study involves human participants, threats to free & informed consent are addressed.
4. Confidentiality of the data is adequately ensured.
5. The researcher has made provisions to share findings with participants.
6. The research clearly can be expected to receive clearance from the IRB.
7. Ownership of the data is clear.
8. Where the data will be stored and for how long is clear.
Any factors related to participant coercion, even if unintentional, and the researcher-participant power differentials are addressed.
9.Human Subject Protections:
a.Rationale for Subject Selection:
(1). Strategies/procedures for recruitment
b.Evaluation of Benefits and Risks/Discomforts:
(1). Potential Benefits: Describe the potential benefits to subjects or to others (benefits to society) that may reasonably be expected from the research.
(2). Potential Risks: Describe any potential risks -- physical, psychological, social, legal, drug toxicity or other associated with the proposed procedures and assess their likelihood and seriousness.
(3). Risk/Benefit: Discuss why the risks to subjects are reasonable in relation to the anticipated benefits and in relation to the importance of the knowledge that may reasonably be expected to result. Consider the following in your discussion:
a. In research involving an intervention expected to provide direct benefit to the subject, a certain amount of risk is justifiable.
c. Adverse Event Reporting and Data Monitoring
(1).Provide a plan for reporting adverse events to the IRB.
(2).Describe the provisions for monitoring the data collected to ensure the safety of subjects.
d. Consent and Assent Processes and Documents
Consent Procedures: Describe the consent procedures to be followed, including the circumstances in which consent will be sought and obtained, who will seek it, the nature of the information to be provided to prospective subjects, and the method of documenting consent.
IV. Summary (Could also serve as the Abstract) (please write around 1pages)
The final section of your dissertation proposal should provide an overview and summary of your research proposal. You should provide a summary statement of virtually every section of the proposal. The reader should be able to read the summary section and have a good understanding of what you are going to do and why.
V. Reference:
VI.Appendix(ces)(please write around 2-3 pages)
Survey Questionnaire
MY ROUGH IDEA:
1.To successful launch an e-commerce Web site, the question is not just about ??if we build it, will they come??? but also ??if we build it, will they come to purchase and repeat purchase??? A scenario closer to the truth is that many online companies experience disappointment in converting consumers?? clicks into purchases. It means attracting a large number of shoppers to the site is not the only ultimate measure of success. The true measure of success should be included retaining customers and converting them into repeat buyers. Positive shopping experiences on the site can help online buyers make an effective decision. It means positive feeling is the optimal experience that consumers will desire to repeat buying online. Therefore, marketers need to create effective Web sites for winning consumer satisfaction. Since Web sites are often the main contact with consumer in the Internet market, a company??s Web site elements may include some persuasive components that has impact on consumers?? positive experience. To evaluate what visual design elements constitute the persuasive power for the customers to have positive experience on a Web site, it is expected that increased levels of the consumers?? positive experience would lead consumers to have more optimistic attitudes toward Web sites, stronger purchase intention, and loyalty. If consumers ??feel good??, marketers can have better chance to win the battle on an e-commerce Web site. We know shopping online is almost exclusively a visual experience; therefore, there may exist persuasive powers in the visual image of design elements in an e-commerce Web site. Little research, however, directly addresses the issue of visual design- the persuasive power on influencing online consumers?? experience of willing to purchase and loyalty.
Logo+Pathos+Ethos = Positive experience ?? Purchase intention and loyalty. (Positive experience comes from satisfy consumers?? Logo, Pathos, and Ethos. To satisfy these variables can lead to purchase intention and loyalty.
2.Independent Variable(11 independent variables):
-Logo (logic): price, variety, product information, and accessibility.
-Pathos (emotion):playfulness, tangibility, and empathy
-Ethos (credibility):recognizability, assurance, and reliability.
Dependent Variable (2 dependent variables):
-Purchase intention
-Loyalty (repeat purchase and word-of-mouth referrals)
Methodology:
-Use online survey instrument.
-Create a questionnaire to measure variables.
-Create a Website, put questionnaires on it. Sent email to people who I know to announce the information. Ask them send the information to their friends also. (I am not clear about this sample selected procedure, please help me develop a better way to select sample)
-Use one month to do the online survey and collect data.
-The researcher will try to recruit a group of 200 subjects from Internet Web site.
-Participates must have online shopping experiences to do the online survey.
-Use likert scales to evaluate all the factors
- Quantitative Research.
3.In charter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW, I hope you can mention some theoretical background such as: rhetorical theory: three means of persuasion; customer purchase behavior; user-center design?K You also can write some different paragraphs in related literature review such as: the difference between traditional commerce and Internet commerce; the importance of visual design to an e-commerce Web site; the importance of purchase and loyalty to an e-commerce Web site; the benefits and challenge to company and consumer in the B2C commerce?K (These are just my suggestions, you can add more or you can change it, if you think it is not appropriate for the future development!)
4.In charter 3: RESEARCH DESIGN, maybe you can develop a framework of persuasive Web site Design to explain and construct the whole study: (you can check the article: Pairin Katerattanakul (2002). Framework of effective web site design for business-to-consumer Internet commerce. INFOR vol.40, no.1 Feb.2002.)
My idea comes from this article and I changed it little bit. Based on the proposed definition of persuasive Web site in my proposal, my study maybe can propose three persuasive design concepts as a framework of persuasive Web site design for business-to-consumer Internet commerce: (1) Design to support consumer logos (logical) experience. (2) Design to support consumer pathos (emotional) experience. (3) Design to support consumer ethos (credibility) experience. So the outline may look like below:
III.Research Design
A.Research question
B.Design
1. Introduction
Previous research on visual design, customer value, and User-center design;
Characteristics of previous researches (strengths and weakness).
2.The framework of a persuasive Web site design
Persuasive Web site: the three design concept- logos, pathos, and ethos
2.1 Research taxonomy: Framework of a persuasive Web site design for business-to-consumer Internet commerce: (1) Design to support consumer logos (logical) experience. (2) Design to support consumer pathos (emotional) experience. (3) Design to support consumer ethos (credibility) experience
3. Design to support consumer logos (logical) experience
3.1 Prices (price presentation)
3.2 Variety (product structure and display)
3.3 Product information (product information display)
3.4 Effort (Intuitiveness of navigation)
4. Design to support consumer pathos (emotional) experience
4.1 Playfulness (entertainment potential of the site)
4.2 Tangibility (sensory appeal through visual, audio or other means) (visual design)
4.3 Empathy (personalization features)
5. Design to support consumer ethos (credibility-trustworthy) experience
5.1 Recogizability (corporate image and branding)
5.2 Compatibility (community building)
5.3 Assurance (privacy and security)
5.4 Reliability (channels to customer service)
C. Instrumentation
Use online survey instrument. Create a questionnaire to measure variables. Build a Website, put the questionnaire on it. Email the information to related organizations or friends.
D. Population & Sample
The population is the online shoppers.
E. Data Collection
The researcher will collect all the raw data from online survey, and then the researcher will develop a coding system to transfer all of the data to the SPSS.
F.Data Analysis
The techniques for data analysis will include: descriptive statistics, regression analysis, and multiple regression analysis.