You may decide that you would like to do a mini-research study for your Plan B capstone. Doing so allows you to make a meaningful contribution that extends the knowledge base in our field. If you decide to do a mini-research, it will be helpful to begin to begin to read about research studies prior to your EDCS 632 course in Summer II and to come into that course with some preliminary questions and your literature completed on a topic of interest. Use the course to design and pilot a study that you can use as the basis for a mini-research as the culminating experience for your Plan B Project.

University Approval of Human Subjects Research. If the project involves human subjects, you must receive approval from the Committee on Human Studies before beginning your research. Please contact your advisor before submitting forms to the committee. Students conducting human subjects research are also required to complete Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online modules.

Approval of Research in Hawaii DOE Schools. Students who are planning to conduct research in a Hawaii DOE school(s) must obtain approval from the principal(s) and the Hawaii State Department of Education. For a study that takes place in a DOE school, students must have their advisor’s approval and signature before submission and should not contact DOE without this approval.

For more information, please see: http://apps.hidoe.k12.hi.us/research/Pages/Home.aspx
Selecting a Reader (Plan B). Talk to your advisor about who will be your second reader (Plan B), and who will invite these individuals. The second reader for a Plan B needs to have a master’s or higher degree and have expertise in the subject matter of the study.

If you choose to do a research study, it’s best to select a topic early—the first semester, if possible—and follow through with that topic throughout your program as shown below. Speed toward graduation by selecting a research topic early and using your core courses effectively!