You have a powerful research idea.
Now you need a Chapter 1 that actually sells it.
The Pitch: Crafting Chapter 1 with Clarity and Confidence is a step-by-step digital workbook designed to help doctoral (and thesis) writers move from “I kind of know my topic” to “I have a clear, aligned, and ready-to-defend study.”
Created by Dr. Rahmatu “Dr. K.” Kassimu, educator, public health strategist, and academic writing coach—this workbook walks you through the real work of building a strong Chapter 1: problem, purpose, significance, and research questions that actually fit together.
What’s Inside
Across five digestible sections, you’ll work through:
Section 1 – What Problem Are You Really Solving?
Prompts to move from a broad topic to a real, researchable problem
“It is not known…” scaffolds to draft a strong problem statement
Worksheets on social, scholarly, and personal significance
Scope checks so your study is big enough to matter, but small enough to finish
Section 2 – Aligning Your Purpose with Your Problem and Method
Sentence stems for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods purpose statements
Examples you can model (not copy) for your own field
Alignment checks to make sure your purpose matches your problem, method, and timeline
Section 3 – Why It Matters (Significance of the Study)
“Ripple map” pages to name who benefits at individual, institutional, and systems levels
Scholar–practitioner bridge prompts to connect theory, practice, and policy
Checklists to avoid vague, generic, or overpromised significance claims
Section 4 – Research Questions That Stick
Method-matched question stems (qual, quan, and mixed)
An “alignment ladder” to test if each RQ fits your problem, purpose, and design
Revision examples that show how to tighten fuzzy questions into clear, study-ready RQs
Section 5 – Pulling It All Together (Your Chapter 1 Overview)
A one-page “Pitch Summary” template for your title, problem, purpose, significance, and RQs
A peer/coach review checklist you can share with your chair, mentor, or writing partner
A Chapter 1 components checklist so you can go from workbook → full draft with confidence
Throughout the workbook you’ll find:
Fillable reflection spaces
Checklists and alignment tests
Sentence starters and structured templates
Gentle but honest guidance to keep you out of the “this is just a topic” trap
This Workbook Is Perfect For…
Doctoral students stuck on getting Chapter 1 “approved”
Writers who know their topic is important but can’t quite articulate the problem
Practitioners-turned-scholars who need help translating real-world passion into scholarly language
Students in education, public health, social sciences, leadership, and other applied fields
Anyone who wants their study to be doable, meaningful, and aligned, not just “good enough to pass”
You’ll Walk Away With…
By the time you finish The Pitch, you will have:
A clear, researchable problem statement (not just a topic)
An aligned purpose statement that names your method and design
A thought-through significance section that speaks to the field and real-world impact
1–3 strong research questions that fit your method and timeline
A one-page Chapter 1 pitch summary you can use in emails, chair meetings, or proposal drafts
A concrete sense of: “I don’t just have an idea anymore—I have a study.”
If you’re tired of spinning in circles on your topic, The Pitch will help you step forward with clarity, alignment, and a Chapter 1 that finally feels like you, scholarly, grounded, and ready to be heard.
You have a powerful research idea.
Now you need a Chapter 1 that actually sells it.
The Pitch: Crafting Chapter 1 with Clarity and Confidence is a step-by-step digital workbook designed to help doctoral (and thesis) writers move from “I kind of know my topic” to “I have a clear, aligned, and ready-to-defend study.”
Created by Dr. Rahmatu “Dr. K.” Kassimu, educator, public health strategist, and academic writing coach—this workbook walks you through the real work of building a strong Chapter 1: problem, purpose, significance, and research questions that actually fit together.
What’s Inside
Across five digestible sections, you’ll work through:
Section 1 – What Problem Are You Really Solving?
Prompts to move from a broad topic to a real, researchable problem
“It is not known…” scaffolds to draft a strong problem statement
Worksheets on social, scholarly, and personal significance
Scope checks so your study is big enough to matter, but small enough to finish
Section 2 – Aligning Your Purpose with Your Problem and Method
Sentence stems for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods purpose statements
Examples you can model (not copy) for your own field
Alignment checks to make sure your purpose matches your problem, method, and timeline
Section 3 – Why It Matters (Significance of the Study)
“Ripple map” pages to name who benefits at individual, institutional, and systems levels
Scholar–practitioner bridge prompts to connect theory, practice, and policy
Checklists to avoid vague, generic, or overpromised significance claims
Section 4 – Research Questions That Stick
Method-matched question stems (qual, quan, and mixed)
An “alignment ladder” to test if each RQ fits your problem, purpose, and design
Revision examples that show how to tighten fuzzy questions into clear, study-ready RQs
Section 5 – Pulling It All Together (Your Chapter 1 Overview)
A one-page “Pitch Summary” template for your title, problem, purpose, significance, and RQs
A peer/coach review checklist you can share with your chair, mentor, or writing partner
A Chapter 1 components checklist so you can go from workbook → full draft with confidence
Throughout the workbook you’ll find:
Fillable reflection spaces
Checklists and alignment tests
Sentence starters and structured templates
Gentle but honest guidance to keep you out of the “this is just a topic” trap
This Workbook Is Perfect For…
Doctoral students stuck on getting Chapter 1 “approved”
Writers who know their topic is important but can’t quite articulate the problem
Practitioners-turned-scholars who need help translating real-world passion into scholarly language
Students in education, public health, social sciences, leadership, and other applied fields
Anyone who wants their study to be doable, meaningful, and aligned, not just “good enough to pass”
You’ll Walk Away With…
By the time you finish The Pitch, you will have:
A clear, researchable problem statement (not just a topic)
An aligned purpose statement that names your method and design
A thought-through significance section that speaks to the field and real-world impact
1–3 strong research questions that fit your method and timeline
A one-page Chapter 1 pitch summary you can use in emails, chair meetings, or proposal drafts
A concrete sense of: “I don’t just have an idea anymore—I have a study.”
If you’re tired of spinning in circles on your topic, The Pitch will help you step forward with clarity, alignment, and a Chapter 1 that finally feels like you, scholarly, grounded, and ready to be heard.
