Research Proposal Assignment Research Methods Dana C. Leighton, Ph.D. The major project in this class is the preparation of thorough literature review and research proposal on a topic of your choice. This will help demonstrate your ability to read, understand, and report findings in psychology, and also to design and specify an experiment to study the topic further. Choosing a topic The choice of a topic is entirely up to you. It should be a topic that interests you, and for which you can find adequate scientific psychology literature. You may incorporate literature from other disciplines, but the overwhelming majority of the literature needs to be from psychology researchers. The assignment You will produce a review of the important1 literature on the topic you choose. The review will be comprehensive enough for you to review and describe a few studies pertinent to your topic, and to analyze the similarities, differences, and inconsistencies in the research findings. You must also synthesize those qualities into a cohesive argument about what is known (and not known) about the topic, and also to suggest future directions in order to better understand the topic you choose. The paper This paper will be written using full 6th edition APA style, including cover pages, headings, abstract, references, etc. Please use 12-point font, and double-space the lines. Because concise writing is a goal of psychologists, there is no minimum length for the paper, but you do need to analyze and synthesize the literature for the topic adequately. In most cases, this will require at least 10 pages, and usually more. Please limit the length to 20 pages, including the front matter (title page, abstract) and back matter (references, appendicies, etc.). Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Indicate organizational structure within your literature review by using headings and subheadings. Make sure that headings at the same level are written in parallel form (See the APA style guide for more details about this). Also, make sure that headings at the same level are consistently placed on the page (i.e., centered, flush left, indented, etc.). If you use underlining, italics, or boldface to indicate heading level, make sure you use it consistently and according to APA style. 1 The term important here refers to the seminal articles in the topic, as well as selected articles that have built the scientific understanding of the topic in the last few years. You do not have to (and cannot, within the time and space limits) report all research on the topic. © 2019 Dana C. Leighton Reproduction permitted for classroom use only Research Methods Research Proposal Assignment Page 2 The literature review Early in the paper there should be a summative statement about the current knowledge of the topic. There also should be a guiding statement of your thesis about the topic (e.g., where you think the research needs to go); this will move your argument forward in the paper. The remaining paragraphs need to synthesize the research in your sources by topic relating to research question/thesis statement. The final paragraphs should contain a conclusion to your literature review summarizing your thesis and outcomes of the research. Note: Do not simply summarize each of your sources to create your literature review. The information needs to be synthesized by topics. The following website are good sources for understanding how to synthesize information: Literature Review: Synthesizing Multiple Sources https://liberalarts.iupui.edu/uwc/files/documents/Lit_Review_Synthesis.pdf Writing a literature review and using a synthesis matrix https://tutorial.dasa.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2015/06/synthesis-matrix.pdf The proposal The final few paragraphs are a proposed study to better understand the topic and address potential weaknesses or omissions in the literature. You should include the following elements: A statement of what weakness or gap in the literature the research aims to address; a statement about the research design (e.g., experimental, correlational, one-way ANOVA, 2 x 2 factorial, etc.); descriptions of the methods; expected results; finally, a discussion of what the research will (hopefully) tell about the topic and how it will contribute to knowledge. The process 1. You will proceed to search the literature, collect potential sources, analyze and synthesize them, and write your drafts over the course of the term. The Galvan textbook provides a good framework for guiding your process. You will work mostly independently, but can consult with other students and should also rely on me for guidance and advice. 2. You will submit a topic outline, which I will review and make suggestions for possible changes. 3. You will write and submit a first draft of the literature review and proposal. This draft will be evaluated for the clarity and coherence of the review, and will allow me to suggest where you are too detailed or where you are missing elements central to your argument. I will not be evaluating the first draft for grammar, spelling, strict APA style, etc. but I may make suggestions. 4. You will then revise the first draft based on my feedback and submit the second draft. This draft should be done very well, but may still have some omissions. I will be evaluating the second draft on the same criteria as the draft, but I will also be strictly evaluating style, grammar, and APA style. 5. Finally, you will revise your second draft to submit your final research proposal. © 2017 Dana C. Leighton Reproduction permitted for classroom use only Research Methods Research Proposal Assignment Page 3 6. All drafts will be submitted on Blackboard for review and marking. How the final proposals will be evaluated The final papers are due on the last class day, and will be evaluated using a rubric. The rubric evaluates the organization, structure, and logical arguments in the paper, research design and proposal, as well as style and mechanics. Exemplary Good Fair Poor 50 points 40 points 35 points 25 points Introduction Clear and concise summary statement of the state of knowledge about the topic, and a guiding thesis statement. Need for the proposed research clearly stated and convincing. Knowledge and thesis statement clear. May not be concise. Need for proposed research may be vague or not convincing. Unclear statements about knowledge and thesis. Imprecise or rambling statement. Unclear need for the proposed research. Vague statement, lack of coherence or direction for the paper. Lacks stated need for the proposed research. Literature Exposition Important literature is summarized clearly and presented within topical organization. Clear evidence of integrative thought across studies. Literature is summarized within topical organization. May lack evidence of integrative thought. Literature is summarized but not within topical organization. Integrative thought absent or vague. Lack of organization, literature may be chronologically organized. Synthesis Findings from studies are clearly synthesized and ambiguities are discussed and resolved. Studies are synthesized but ambiguities are left undiscussed or unresolved Synthesis is weak, and no mention of ambiguities Absence of synthesis. Research proposal The proposal suggests research that is novel and extends the research in the area or addresses a gap or weakness in the existing research. It provides a fully specified research question, hypothesis, method, and expected results. No fatal flaws in the research proposal. Proposes research that is not novel or does not extend the existing literature, nor addresses any gaps or weaknesses in the literature. Still, it provides a fully specified research question, hypothesis, methods, and expected results. may have flaws, but not any serious flaws.. Research is not novel. May simply be a replication of existing research without extension or justification. Research proposal is vague or does not fully specify the methods or may contain a serious flaw. Research proposal missing or grossly incomplete. LIkely has serious flaws or omissions in methods. APA Style & English mechanics Few (< 5) errors in APA style and few (< 5) grammar, spelling or mechanics errors Some (5–10) errors in either style or mechanics Many (10–15) errors in either style or mechanics APA style not followed or consistently violated. Excessive errors in mechanics. Element © 2017 Dana C. Leighton Reproduction permitted for classroom use only Research Proposal Assignment Research Methods Dana C. Leighton, Ph.D. The major project in this class is the preparation of thorough literature review and research proposal on a topic of your choice. This will help demonstrate your ability to read, understand, and report findings in psychology, and also to design and specify an experiment to study the topic further. Choosing a topic The choice of a topic is entirely up to you. It should be a topic that interests you, and for which you can find adequate scientific psychology literature. You may incorporate literature from other disciplines, but the overwhelming majority of the literature needs to be from psychology researchers. The assignment You will produce a review of the important1 literature on the topic you choose. The review will be comprehensive enough for you to review and describe a few studies pertinent to your topic, and to analyze the similarities, differences, and inconsistencies in the research findings. You must also synthesize those qualities into a cohesive argument about what is known (and not known) about the topic, and also to suggest future directions in order to better understand the topic you choose. The paper This paper will be written using full 6th edition APA style, including cover pages, headings, abstract, references, etc. Please use 12-point font, and double-space the lines. Because concise writing is a goal of psychologists, there is no minimum length for the paper, but you do need to analyze and synthesize the literature for the topic adequately. In most cases, this will require at least 10 pages, and usually more. Please limit the length to 20 pages, including the front matter (title page, abstract) and back matter (references, appendicies, etc.). Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Indicate organizational structure within your literature review by using headings and subheadings. Make sure that headings at the same level are written in parallel form (See the APA style guide for more details about this). Also, make sure that headings at the same level are consistently placed on the page (i.e., centered, flush left, indented, etc.). If you use underlining, italics, or boldface to indicate heading level, make sure you use it consistently and according to APA style. 1 The term important here refers to the seminal articles in the topic, as well as selected articles that have built the scientific understanding of the topic in the last few years. You do not have to (and cannot, within the time and space limits) report all research on the topic. © 2019 Dana C. Leighton Reproduction permitted for classroom use only Research Methods Research Proposal Assignment Page 2 The literature review Early in the paper there should be a summative statement about the current knowledge of the topic. There also should be a guiding statement of your thesis about the topic (e.g., where you think the research needs to go); this will move your argument forward in the paper. The remaining paragraphs need to synthesize the research in your sources by topic relating to research question/thesis statement. The final paragraphs should contain a conclusion to your literature review summarizing your thesis and outcomes of the research. Note: Do not simply summarize each of your sources to create your literature review. The information needs to be synthesized by topics. The following website are good sources for understanding how to synthesize information: Literature Review: Synthesizing Multiple Sources https://liberalarts.iupui.edu/uwc/files/documents/Lit_Review_Synthesis.pdf Writing a literature review and using a synthesis matrix https://tutorial.dasa.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2015/06/synthesis-matrix.pdf The proposal The final few paragraphs are a proposed study to better understand the topic and address potential weaknesses or omissions in the literature. You should include the following elements: A statement of what weakness or gap in the literature the research aims to address; a statement about the research design (e.g., experimental, correlational, one-way ANOVA, 2 x 2 factorial, etc.); descriptions of the methods; expected results; finally, a discussion of what the research will (hopefully) tell about the topic and how it will contribute to knowledge. The process 1. You will proceed to search the literature, collect potential sources, analyze and synthesize them, and write your drafts over the course of the term. The Galvan textbook provides a good framework for guiding your process. You will work mostly independently, but can consult with other students and should also rely on me for guidance and advice. 2. You will submit a topic outline, which I will review and make suggestions for possible changes. 3. You will write and submit a first draft of the literature review and proposal. This draft will be evaluated for the clarity and coherence of the review, and will allow me to suggest where you are too detailed or where you are missing elements central to your argument. I will not be evaluating the first draft for grammar, spelling, strict APA style, etc. but I may make suggestions. 4. You will then revise the first draft based on my feedback and submit the second draft. This draft should be done very well, but may still have some omissions. I will be evaluating the second draft on the same criteria as the draft, but I will also be strictly evaluating style, grammar, and APA style. 5. Finally, you will revise your second draft to submit your final research proposal. © 2017 Dana C. Leighton Reproduction permitted for classroom use only Research Methods Research Proposal Assignment Page 3 6. All drafts will be submitted on Blackboard for review and marking. How the final proposals will be evaluated The final papers are due on the last class day, and will be evaluated using a rubric. The rubric evaluates the organization, structure, and logical arguments in the paper, research design and proposal, as well as style and mechanics. Exemplary Good Fair Poor 50 points 40 points 35 points 25 points Introduction Clear and concise summary statement of the state of knowledge about the topic, and a guiding thesis statement. Need for the proposed research clearly stated and convincing. Knowledge and thesis statement clear. May not be concise. Need for proposed research may be vague or not convincing. Unclear statements about knowledge and thesis. Imprecise or rambling statement. Unclear need for the proposed research. Vague statement, lack of coherence or direction for the paper. Lacks stated need for the proposed research. Literature Exposition Important literature is summarized clearly and presented within topical organization. Clear evidence of integrative thought across studies. Literature is summarized within topical organization. May lack evidence of integrative thought. Literature is summarized but not within topical organization. Integrative thought absent or vague. Lack of organization, literature may be chronologically organized. Synthesis Findings from studies are clearly synthesized and ambiguities are discussed and resolved. Studies are synthesized but ambiguities are left undiscussed or unresolved Synthesis is weak, and no mention of ambiguities Absence of synthesis. Research proposal The proposal suggests research that is novel and extends the research in the area or addresses a gap or weakness in the existing research. It provides a fully specified research question, hypothesis, method, and expected results. No fatal flaws in the research proposal. Proposes research that is not novel or does not extend the existing literature, nor addresses any gaps or weaknesses in the literature. Still, it provides a fully specified research question, hypothesis, methods, and expected results. may have flaws, but not any serious flaws.. Research is not novel. May simply be a replication of existing research without extension or justification. Research proposal is vague or does not fully specify the methods or may contain a serious flaw. Research proposal missing or grossly incomplete. LIkely has serious flaws or omissions in methods. APA Style & English mechanics Few (< 5) errors in APA style and few (< 5) grammar, spelling or mechanics errors Some (5–10) errors in either style or mechanics Many (10–15) errors in either style or mechanics APA style not followed or consistently violated. Excessive errors in mechanics. Element © 2017 Dana C. Leighton Reproduction permitted for classroom use only 2 1 3 4