The DSW Capstone Research Project Premise consists of the following six parts:
1. Title
2. Problem statement, including the research question(s)
3. Theoretical framework
4. Brief overview of methodology, including potential types and sources of data, and
approach for the study
5. References
6. Limited to 500 words (not including the Reference page)
An annotated outline is included in this guide and can be used to create your Premise Paper.
The primary goal for the premise is to narrow your Capstone Research Project topic such that
you have provided a general sense of the direction of your research. At this point, you do not
need to know everything about the research project, especially the details of your methodology.
However, you do need to identify a theoretical framework.
An Annotated Outline
Title Page
The recommended title length is 12 words to include the topic, the variables and relationship
between them, and the most critical keywords. Double-space the title if over one line of type and
center it under the word Premise. See template below.
Include your name, your program of study (and specialization if applicable) and Banner ID
number, double-spaced and centered under the title. See template below.
Title
The title as it appears on the title page, double-spaced (if over one line of type) and centered at
the top of the page. The title follows the word Premise and a colon.
Problem Statement
Provide a statement that is the result of a review of research findings and current practice. This
statement should contain the following information:
1. Briefly describe a social work practice problem and why it is important to address within the context of social work practice.
2. Preliminary evidence that provides justification that this problem is meaningful to the field of social work practice. Provide several (3-5 minimum) key citations that highlight the relevance and currency of the problem.
3. Identify your preliminary practice-focused research question(s).
Theoretical Framework
Briefly present a theory that you have identified to frame the project. Briefly explain how the
theory(ies) applies.
Brief Overview of Methodology
Briefly describe the project’s design, sources of evidence, and how they will be obtained. You
do not need to describe the procedures in detail. For example: you may say that digital
surveys will be used to collect the data.
References
Include APA-formatted references for all citations made within the Premise Paper. The references should be listed on a separate page at the end of the paper.
