Theories in Discourse

Overview
Now that you have begun to address a potential topic for your dissertation or doctoral project, it is time to focus on the theory or theories that can ground and guide your study of the topic. To do so, you must be able to respond correctly to the following questions:
• What is theory?
• What is the role of theory?
More importantly, however, you must be able to identify the theory that fits best with your work and how it will function in your study.
Instructions
Using the Capella library guide for your discipline, search for 10 additional articles on your potential topic and summarize the theory used in those studies, addressing the following in a Word document:
• Identify a potential theory to ground and guide a future study.
◦ Discuss why you believe the articles address your theory.
• Discuss how the theory is used in each article.
◦ Discuss what role the theory played in the study.
• Articulate the role of theory in the type of study under consideration to be conducted.
◦ If applicable, discuss the differences in how you would apply theory in quantitative and qualitative studies.
• Discuss how the articles identified gaps in theory or practice.
• As a scholar-practitioner, apply conventions of voice, academic tone, and discipline-specific language.
Additional Requirements
Your assignment should also meet the following requirements:
• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• Length: 3–5 double-spaced pages.
• Resources: 10 additional scholarly references including seminal literature. Use primary sources. Include in References section at the end of the paper.
• APA guidelines: When appropriate, use APA-formatted headings. Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and format. Refer to Academic WriterLinks to an external site.
as needed.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 points.
Read the assignment rubrics to ensure that you have met all criteria.
To support you in proofreading your assignments and before submitting your work through Turnitin, be sure to you use the free Grammarly tool to help detect plagiarism, correct errors with grammar, usage, and writing mechanics.
To further strengthen your writing, use the Turnitin results to revise your work prior to submission for a course grade. For more information, visit the Turnitin
Links to an external site.
Campus page.
Portfolio Prompt: Consider adding this assignment to your personal ePortfolio. This assignment demonstrates your ability to study topics for your project. You will want to organize your course assignments to easily support future work on your dissertation or doctoral project and to showcase your knowledge with employers after graduation. For more information on ePortfolio, visit the Campus ePortfolio page.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:
• Competency 1: Develop a scholar-practitioner identity within the discipline.
◦ Apply conventions of voice, academic tone, and discipline-specific language.
• Competency 3: Apply an understanding of the importance and value of scholarly discourse in writing and interactions with others.
◦ Articulate the role of theory in the type of study being considered.
• Competency 4: Integrate credible scholarly literature to support ideas and concepts with evidence into the selection of a topic appropriate for a degree program.
◦ Identify a theory to potentially ground and guide a future study.
◦ Discuss how the theory is used in each article.
• Competency 5: Analyze the existing literature to identify knowledge gaps in the literature and in practice.
◦ Discuss how the articles identified gaps in theory or practice.
• Competency 9: Write in accordance with the academic and professional requirements of the discipline during the research process ensuring appropriate structure, grammar, usage, and style.
◦ Convey purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence in grammatically sound sentences.
◦ Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.