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Introduction to Writing the EdD Doctoral Study

The EdD Capstone Guidebook presents a step-by-step guide to writing each of the sections and subsections of the EdD Doctoral Study. This document outlines the expectations for student work. Reviewing this material should be a first step in beginning the doctoral writing process.

Next, as students begin preparing to write, they should review the materials related to the EdD Doctoral Study document and process, provided on the Office of Research and Doctoral Services website. The EdD Prospectus Guide is also helpful in getting started. This page contains resources for writing the prospectus, proposal, and final study. In addition, students should download the appropriate template from the Writing Center’s Form and Style EdD Templates page.

To introduce students to writing an EdD Doctoral Study capstone, here is a description of the main goals and outcomes associated with this process and document:

The goal of the document is to address a specific, defined, and applied education problem

  • Students begin by identifying a problem that exists in the education world, then define a specific education problem within that.
  • The goal of the document is to address the specific education problem in that specific, local setting and in the relevant, broader educational area.
  • Subsequent goals of the study are to articulate implications for education practice in the field and the implications for social change (who will benefit from the results and how; see more below).

The document addresses a gap—the specific business problem has not been studied before, and there is a gap in education practice

  • After identifying the problem, students should identify/ensure there is a gap, as one of the goals of the study is to contribute to the scholarship in that area. 
  • It is important to make sure that the topic/problem has not already been addressed by other researchers.
  • The results should make a significant contribution to the student’s local area of focus.

The doctoral study demonstrates a grounding in related literature and research in the field

  • Another goal of the study is to demonstrate knowledge and expertise in the subject areas covered in the literature review.
  • This is why the literature is lengthy and exhaustive; it is the student’s demonstration that he/she is an expert in these areas and is familiar with all previous relevant research, and that the student can convey this expertise through writing.

The study is built on basic or applied research

  • The document demonstrates knowledge and expertise in the identified research design and interpretation of results.
  • The capstone shows that the student can convey this expertise through writing.

The document advances social change

  • A final, Walden-specific and important outcome of the study is that results also make a significant contribution to social change.  Students need to describe who may benefit from the findings of the study and how.