Congratulations, you are now a doctoral candidate! It was a long, tough road, but you did it. Now it is time to get to work.
By now, you are an excellent researcher. You know all of the technical jargon, and you can get up in the front of a room and talk about Kotter, and Creswell, and change theory, and decision making, and article critiques, and case studies.
But don’t sit on your laurels yet. Now the real work begins, and it is NO JOKE!
They have significantly revised this course since I took it in the fall of 2022. My wife, Michele, is currently enrolled in this course at the time of this writing, and I have been coaching her along the way.
Remember, if you ever feel that you could benefit from a unique group coaching program, please visit here.
Course Description
This course will focus on helping students complete a research concept paper and prepare them for their doctoral research project.
Rationale
BMAL 785 serves as the bridge course for the DSL Program, providing the necessary steps and activities required to transition from taking classes to producing a doctoral-level research project.
Course Assignment
Students will submit weekly progress reports throughout the course.
Students will prepare a research concept paper providing the foundation for their proposed doctoral-level research project. Specific requirements for the paper can be found in the Concept Paper Guide.
Task 1: Problem Statement Outline
Task 2: Research Questions
Task 3: Methodology
Task 4: Research Framework Outline
Task 5: Draft Research Concept
Task 6: Final Research Concept
Each of these tasks must be completed in sequence, and each is graded 1/0 (Pass/Fail). The student will continue to revise a failed attempt unit is successfully completed. Only then can the student move ahead to the next task.
What You Should Know about BMAL 785
For those that are just starting in BMAL 785, I urge you to take this advice very seriously:
- Read the White Paper/Guide very closely… Repeat!
- Follow the instructions in the White Paper or Guide exactly. I mean to the letter… For example, it gives you the wording for Task 1 to say–The specific problem is ________ relating to ______…
- Do not get discouraged by the edits from the professor. It took me four tries for Task 1, one attempt at Task 4, and three attempts at Task 6.
- The weekly discussion posts are not like any other course in the program. They are progress reports, and a lot of great info is there.
- Use the discussion posts to see where your colleagues are struggling. I bet you have some of the same issues as they do.
- Don’t be afraid to work ahead, but don’t work ahead unless a task is approved.
- Do not, and I mean do not, run a subsequent task through Grammarly after it has been approved. The approved task needs to stay exactly as it is approved. I mean, do not add one word even if you think you should.
- Remember, this course is like a pre-season game for the big dance that is to come.
- Also, remember that your doctoral project is still just a school project. Do not let it rule your world. You will change the world by completing this course. Treat it as such.
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FINAL Paper Forto_Final Research Concept_291122
Two books I highly recommend you buy right now:
Literature Review in Six Easy Steps
Materials:
BMAL 785 Guide (Summer 2025)
BMAL 785 Template (Summer 2025)
Bottom Line
The post serves as a guide for doctoral candidates enrolled in BMAL 785, a course that focuses on preparing students to complete a research concept paper for their doctoral research project. It emphasizes the transition from coursework to producing a doctoral-level project, outlining several tasks (like drafting a problem statement, research questions, and methodology) that must be completed sequentially and graded on a pass/fail basis.
Key advice for students includes closely following the guidelines in the provided White Paper/Guide, not getting discouraged by professor feedback, utilizing weekly discussion posts for support, and avoiding changes to approved tasks. The author stresses that while the doctoral project is significant, it should not dominate one’s life. Additionally, two recommended books and resources for support are mentioned, along with suggestions on how to connect with the academic community on social media. Finally, the blog includes affiliate links and donation information to support its content.
This blog has been found most useful by students reading it in order. I wrote a post a week to chronicle my time in the entire program, and for the most part, they are tagged by course. For example, here is BMAL 785. I have included a lot of my papers as PDFs. Feel free to use them as a guide.
If you ever feel that you could benefit from a unique group coaching program, please visit here.
Courses in the Program
DSL Program Orientation: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 700)
Leadership Theory: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 702)
Managing the Contemporary Organization: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 703)
Leading Organizational Change: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 704)
Understanding the Organization: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 710)
Risk Management Process and Practice: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 714)
Research Theory and Planning: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 716)
Leveraging Data for Decision Making: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 720)
Leading Effective Teams: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 727)
Ethical Leadership: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 770)
DRP Research Concept: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 785)
Doctoral Research Project I: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 887)
Doctoral Research Project II: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 888)
Doctoral Research Project III: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 889)
Doctoral Research Project IV: Doctor of Strategic Leadership Liberty University (BMAL 890)
Case Study Research Methods and Literature Review (BUSI 830)
Suggested Materials
Literature Review in Six Easy Steps
Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches
Qualitative Research from Start to Finish
Publication Manual (OFFICIAL) 7th Edition of the American Psychological Association
The Craft of Research, Fifth Edition
Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary)
Let’s Connect…
Oh, if you are on Twitter, I highly encourage you to follow the hashtags, #AcademicChatter and #AcademicTwitterboth are great threads with advice, motivation, and a very supportive community and if you wouldn’t mind, give me a follow at @robertforto and send me a tweet letting me know you found my blog helpful!
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