The final element of the proposal is the discussion of the research design and method the doctoral student intends to use. Though there is likely a more basic description of this already in the approved preproposal capstone documents, in the proposal the student will need to elaborate and specify the step-by-step plan for conducting the study, including collecting and analyzing the data.

Walden also offers a variety of methods and design resources that can help doctoral students develop the proposal. A student’s faculty chairperson should be the first and primary resource for what to include in this document.

• ORDS provides standards and guidelines for doctoral research. Their website contains more information on conducting research at Walden. ORDS also holds office hours for students with questions regarding both qualitative methods and quantitative methods.
• Research resources from ORDS may also help students plan, design, analyze, and write about research.
• ORDS has a lot of information on research planning and writing, including how to describe the historical context, data collection, the research process, and how to approach theoretical/conceptual frameworks.
• ORDS also provides guidelines and sample documents for the consent forms, letters of cooperation, and other elements that you will need.
• The Institutional Review Board (IRB) establishes and supports ethics for capstone studies. They also hold IRB office hours, where students can ask direct questions and receive answers in real time about the ethical protection of participants.