ORIGINAL QUESTION:
The Background of the Problem section in Chapter 2 identifies, based on prior research, the gap or need that informs the topic and problem statement for the research study. Discuss the research gap you have identified for your dissertation study. How does this gap inform the problem statement of the study? How does the problem statement, in turn, inform the theoretical foundation you select for the study? How do the problem statement and theoretical foundation inform the development of content for the studys literature review?

WRITE A RESPONSE TO THE FOLLOWING POST:

The gap that has been identified for the dissertation study is understanding the need for mentorship for doctoral students and outlining guidelines on how a successful mentorship program will look based on a student perspective. Alvesson, Mats, & Sandberg, (2013) suggest that a research problem is the main organizing principle guiding the analysis of a paper. Therefore, for this study; the problem statement is based on the little research contributed and recommendations that speak to the impact of same gender, ethnicity, and self-selected mentoring programs that support doctoral learners

The theoretical framework is the structure that can hold or support a theory of a research study. The theoretical framework introduces and describes the theory that explains why the research problem under study exists, (Abend, G., 2008).

The problem statement informs the theoretical framework by addressing the problem in identifying the concepts, the theoretical framework acts as the platform to acknowledge the concepts, discuss the prior literature, synthesizes the information, and explains why the selected theory will create a foundation for the work. In my study, the posing research questions of the same gender, ethnicity, and self-selection impacting a mentoring program will be outlined in paragraphs supported by evidence that speaks to the topic, which will lead to the introduction of newer content for the study.

Reference

Abend, Gabriel. “The Meaning of Theory.” Sociological Theory 26 (June 2008): 173199

Alvesson, Mats, and Jrgen Sandberg. Constructing Research Questions: Doing Interesting Research. London: Sage, 2013; Chapter 1: Research and the Research Problem.