Project Thesis Advising

<STRUCTURING HYPOTHESES>

Students who have selected Option 1, 2 and 3 in the MOD program will be required to create, administer, and analyze the responses to a survey. Some pertinent demographic information might be collected first (e.g., asking an employee his or her gender, his or her age range, or length of time that they have worked for this employer). This data may help to define the problem. The survey questions themselves must closely mirror the hypotheses structured.

It is recommended that the new PTA either sit in on Statistics Module (Module 5) classes or study the Statistics Curriculum guide. Studying model PTs would also prepare the new PTA for reviewing Chapters 3, 4 and 5.

Objectives

The students are first required to write two measurable objectives--the outcomes that they hope to see. Here is an example of a measurable objective for Option 1, 2 and 3:

Option 1: To reduce the infant mortality in NC Region P to 10% or less upon implementation of the maternal nutrition program.

Option 2: To reduce the infant mortality in NC Region P to 10% or less within one year of implementing the maternal nutrition program.

Option 3: To reduce the infant mortality in NC Region P to 10% or less within one year of implementing the selected alternative.

A well-written objective answers the questions: who, what, when, and how much. While some objectives may appear to meet this criteria, the use of some words within the statement may nullify the requirements. For example:

Time wasted will be reduced by 10% within 6 months of the implementation of the selected alternative.

How can one quantify "time wasted" when one does not know what time is being wasted on? "Quality" is another term needing further definition.

Hypotheses for the Objectives

Regardless of which Option is being utilized, the hypotheses for the objectives always follows the same basic format. Two hypotheses are required for each objective. Here are some samples using the objectives previously written:

Option 1: To reduce the infant mortality in NC Region P to 10% or less upon implementation of the maternal nutrition program.

Hypothesis 1: Currently the infant mortality in NC Region P is 15% or greater.

Hypothesis 2: Implementation of the maternal nutrition program in NC Region P will result in an infant mortality of 5% or less.

Option 2: To reduce the infant mortality in NC Region P to 10% or less within one year of implementing the maternal nutrition program.

Hypothesis 1: Currently the infant mortality in NC Region P is 15% or greater.

Hypothesis 2: The majority of those surveyed will agree that the implementation of the maternal nutrition program in Region P will result in an infant mortality rate of 10% or less.

Option 3: To reduce the infant mortality in NC Region P to 10% or less within one year of implementing the selected alternative.

Hypothesis 1: Currently the infant mortality in NC Region P is 15% or greater.

Hypothesis 2: The desired infant mortality rate in NC Region P is 5% or less.

The PTA needs to carefully examine the objective vis-à-vis the hypotheses. For example, the student says that current rate of scrap is 25% and that the desired rate of scrap is 35%. That makes no sense. Look for inconsistencies.

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Page maintained by: Judy Hills
URL: http://www.mountolivecollege.edu
Last update: July 22, 2000

Overview of Project Thesis

Sample MOD Project Theses

Structuring Hypotheses