This course teaches students to understand a doctoral research process by assessing an organizational or community context to identify needs or problems, frame those needs or problems as either problem statements, and formulate research questions or hypotheses. It provides an overview of a dissertation topic, its delimitations, purpose, anticipated outcomes, anticipated results, and recommendations supported by sufficient sources to write a dissertation. The course will help students to write the first draft of their dissertation proposal to be revised and fine-tuned further in the dissertation process. Topics covered include: identifying a relevant research problem, articulating clear research questions or hypotheses, and applying appropriate theories in ISC, and building an argument to support the purpose and significance of the study. Methodological approaches are not the focus of this course. The major deliverable for the course is the dissertation proposal that will serve the basis for the first two chapters of the dissertation: Introduction and Literature Review. Throughout the course, students refine their ideas by writing and presenting them to peers and faculty at Colloquium Seminar II in the Fall 2 term. The course also provides a review of APA format. 3 Credits