Your Chapter 1 – Introduction will be a narrative that details the major components of your proposed research, developed at a relatively early stage of your doctoral program. The introduction guides your preparation of the full-blown DSP Research Proposal, and will serve as a roadmap for continued refinement of your thinking as you progress into the DBA doctoral program.

The Chapter 1- Introduction should be 15-20 double-spaced pages, APA 7th edition formatted. Include a title page and reference list (not included in page count). The title page should include a working title for your dissertation. Develop the working title after you’ve completed the prospectus and have developed and selected your established Research Question(s).

In the body of Chapter 1, DO include headings for each section. Use complete sentences and paragraphs to craft the body each section.
Introductory Section (Your Prospectus should not have a heading for the introductory section, per APA 7th edition)
After you’ve completed the sections below, craft and introductory section that:
    Tells the reader what this document is about
    Tells the reader how the document is organized

.          This paper should be a philosophy paper but for some topics, factual and scientific information will be necessary. But focus on the ethical and conceptual dimensions and on the questions of public policy involved. (Always ask: What should we do concerning this issue and why? What are the philosophical, ethical, and conceptual questions which must be answered if this issue is to be resolved?)
2.          Tie your paper into the central themes of the course. The paper must show that it was written by someone who took this course. Someplace in your paper you should (probably) indicate how the various environmental ethics we have considered (e.g., anthropocentrism vs biocentrism, utilitarian vs deontological) bear on your topic. Which of these are you assuming (or rejecting) in your argument, if any, and why? In other words, what position(s) on the question of moral standing are you assuming (or rejecting) and what are your reasons? Which philosophers (authors) relate to your issue and how? If the issue you are discussing (and the position you are taking on it) would be illuminated by addressing these issues, you should do so.
3.          At least 4 (not assigned in the course) philosophical/scientific journal readings are required for this paper. I suggest using the journals Environmental Ethics, Environmental Values, Ethics and the Environment, Ethics, Place and Environment, Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, and Between the Species. Some of these journals could help but please explore the databases from the library to search and start early in case you need to use interlibrary loan. You should be able to find something on almost any topic you choose. I can help you find specific articles relevant to your subject if you are having trouble finding them. A tremendous Internet resource is available at the following web site: http://www.phil.unt.edu/bib/. This bibliography (kept by the International Society for Environmental Ethics) summarizes articles in the field and can be searched by key word. You can also use the reference (in the Library Reference section) called Philosophers Index which lists by subject, title, and author most philosophical articles that have been published. Don’t get bogged down on this dimension of the paper. I want you to think for your self; the outside reading is meant only to help stimulate your own thinking.